Microbial dark matter driven degradation of carbon fiber polymer composites

Abstract

40Polymer composites have become attractive for structural applications in the built environment 41 due to their lightweight and high strength properties but can suffer from degradation due to 42 environmental factors. While impacts of abiotic factors like temperature and moisture are well 43 studied, little is known about the influence of naturally occurring microbial communities on their 44 structural integrity. Here we apply complementary time-series multi-omics of biofilms growing on 45 polymer composites and materials characterization to elucidate, for the first time, the processes 46 driving their degradation. We measured a reduction in mechanical properties due to molecular 47 chain breakage and reconstructed 121 microbial genomes to describe microbial diversity and 48 pathways associated with their degradation. The composite microbiome is dominated by four 49 bacterial groups including the Candidate Phyla Radiation that possess pathways for breakdown of 50 acrylate, esters, and bisphenol, abundant in composites. Overall, we provide a foundation for 51 understanding interactions of next-generation structural materials with their natural environment 52 that can predict their durability and drive future designs. polymer composite materials (referred to as polymer composites) have become 82 an attractive option for infrastructure due to their lightweight, high stiffness and high strength to 83 weight ratios 1 , which are favorable properties for enabling high fuel efficiency and towards 84 increasing mobility. In addition, polymer composites have extremely high corrosion resistance 85 compared to conventional materials like steel which are easily corroded. Therefore, although initial 86 installed costs of polymer composites and steel are comparable, life-cycle costs of polymer 87composites are expected to be significantly lower. Currently, polymer composites have a prevalent 88 use in a large range of infrastructure 2 including pipelines, utility poles, prefabricated pavements, 89 renewable energy harvesting, chimneys or flues, rapidly deployable housing, decking for marine 90 and naval structures and advanced retrofitting. Recent studies 3,4 have demonstrated that polymer 91 composites, when designed appropriately, can provide a cost-effective alternative to current 92 structural materials used for primary loading-bearing elements in civil infrastructure. Specific civil 93 infrastructural applications of polymer composites include but are not limited to retrofitting of 94 existing concrete structures, strengthening of steel structures, as internal reinforcing rods in 95 reinforced concrete structures, in new construction as structural members 5

Towards Sustainable Recycling of Epoxy-Based Polymers: Approaches and Challenges of Epoxy Biodegradation

“…The method was applied, for example, in the study of microbial degradation of vinyl ester based carbon-fiber-reinforced composites by Breister et al [ 19 ]. They observed the increase in the intensity of peaks associated with the -O-H, -C-H, and -C=O stretching, and assigned these changes to the scission of ester bonds in the matrix polymer.…”

“…Another example was published by Breister et al [ 19 ], who also utilized TGA for the characterization of carbon-fiber-reinforced vinyl ester composites that were incubated with a microbial consortium. The measurements allowed for tracing the ongoing decrease in the thermal degradation onset temperature over a course of several weeks as an indicator for the microbial degradation.…”

“…However, the development of biodegradation approaches for recalcitrant plastics such as epoxy polymers has been less comprehensive and is still limited to a few studies undertaking this challenge [ 17 , 18 ]. In this regard, the exploitation of biodiversity resources, especially in combination with metagenome mining and environmental screenings, represents a promising approach towards the development of novel biocatalysts for plastic degradation [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. This approach has been successful in identifying enzymes that can degrade plastics such as PET and can potentially be used to develop biocatalysts for the degradation and recycling of epoxy polymers [ 25 ].…”

Immobilization of N,N‐diallyl‐N,N‐dimethylammonium chloride on polyethylene. Biocidal properties of the material

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] The presence of microorganisms on the surfaces of products for various purposes, including works of art and building materials, leads to two negative consequences: the presence of a permanent source of pathogenic microorganisms 3,9,[15][16][17] as well as the biodegradation of materials and the subsequent deterioration of their operational characteristics, 7,8,13,14 including polymer ones. 7,8,[18][19][20][21][22][23] The problem of human diseases and polymer bio-damage is of particular importance in enclosed spaces where people stay for a long time: including inhabited space objects [24][25][26][27][28][29] and submarines. 30 Many methods have been proposed to combat biofilms and bio-damage [31][32][33][34] The simplest solution is surface treatment with low molecular weight biocides.…”

The Effect of Hybridisation on Mechanical Properties and Water Absorption Behaviour of Woven Jute/Ramie Reinforced Epoxy Composites

“…The microbial activity drives polymer chain scission-based degradation of polymer composites, resulting in a significant decrease in the starting melting temperature. Polymer degradation caused by microbial activity results in a decrease in modulus and hardness as well as an increase in displacement [ 26 , 27 ].…”