Modern methods of material hydrophobization: chemical and microbiological solutions for railway infrastructure

The article presents a review of modern methods of material hydrophobization aimed at increasing the durability and reliability of railway infrastructure elements under conditions of moisture exposure and aggressive environmental factors. The principles of hydrophobic coating formation, the mechanisms of action of hydrophobic solutions, and methods for assessing hydrophobicity using the contact angle measurement are considered. Particular attention is paid to microbiological approaches to hydrophobization based on the use of microorganisms and the biopolymers synthesized by them. The areas of practical application of hydrophobic materials in protecting metal structures, concrete and reinforced concrete elements, as well as track superstructure materials from corrosion, moisture saturation, and biodeterioration are analyzed. The environmental aspects of using biosurfactants and the prospects for implementing environmentally friendly hydrophobic coatings in the railway industry are also discussed.

1. Voytovich, V. A. Manual on hydrophobization of building structures and products : educational and methodical manual / V. A. Voytovich, I. N. Khryapchenkova ; Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. – Nizhny Novgorod : NNGASU, 2016. – 45 p.

2. Buczkowska, K. Hydrophobic protection for building materials / K. Buczkowska // Superhydrophobic Coating-Recent Advances in Theory and Applications. – IntechOpen, 2023.

3. Comparison of methods to detect biosurfactant production by diverse microorganisms. Journal of Microbiological Methods / N. H. Youssef, K. E. Duncan, M. J. McInerney, M. J. Folmsbee. – 2004. – 56 (3). – P. 339–347. – DOI 10.1016/j.mimet.2003.11.001.

4. Adhesion behavior of Escherichia coli strains on glass : Role of cell surface qualitative and quantitative hydrophobicity in their attachment ability / K. Elfazazi, H. Zahir, S. Tankiouine [et al.] // International Journal of Microbiology. – 2021. – P. 1–9. – DOI 10.1155/2021/5580274.

5. The role of bacterial cell wall hydrophobicity in adhesion / M. C. M. van Loosdrecht, J. Lyklema, W. Norde [et al.] // Applied and Environmental Microbiology 1987. – 53 (8). – Р. 1893–1897.

6. Bacterial and fungal composition and exometabolites control the development and persistence of soi lwater repellency / E. N. Boak, B. P. Bowen, K. B. Louie [et al.] // ISME Communications. – 2025. – 5 (1). – DOI 10.1093/ismeco/ycaf084.

7. Getman, L. P. Master’s thesis : experimental evaluation of the effectiveness of hydrophobization of stone materials / L. P. Getman. – Tolyatti : Tolyatti State University, 2017. – 110 p.

8. Marmur, A. Solid-Surface Characterization by Wetting / A. Marmur // Annual Review of Materials Research. – 2009. – Vol. 39 (1). – P. 473–489.

9. Rodionova, L. D. Application of hydrophobic and superhydrophobic coatings for corrosion protection / L. D. Rodionova, V. A. Bryksina // Derzhavin Forum. – 2020. – Vol. 4, No. 16. – P. 154–162.

10. Beshiru, A. Biofilm formation and potential virulence factors of Salmonella strains isolated from ready-to-eat shrimps / A. Beshiru, I. H. Igbinosa, E. O. Igbinosa // PLoS One. – 2018. – Sep 20 ; 13 (9) : e0204345. – DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0204345.

11. Danchik, C. Role of Cell Surface Hydrophobicity in the Pathogenesis of Medically-Significant Fungi / C. Danchik, A. Casadevall // Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. – 2021. – DOI 10.3389/fcimb.2020.594973.

12. Variation in cell surface hydrophobicity among Cryptococcus neoformans strains influences interactions with amoebas / R. Vij, C. Danchik, C. Crawford [et al.]. – 2020. – DOI 10.1128/mSphere.00310-20. Cryptococcus neoformans strains influences interactions with amoebas / R. Vij, C. Danchik, C. Crawford [et al.]. – 2020. – DOI 10.1128/mSphere.00310-20.

13. SCOBY Cellulose-Based Materials Hydrophobized Using Stearic Acid and Apple Powder / M. A. Bryszewska, D. G. Pareja, L. Kaczmarek [et al.] // Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 13746. – DOI 10.3390/ijms252413746.

14. Metal ions weaken the hydrophobicity and antibiotic resistance of Bacillus subtilis / C. Falcón García, M. Kretschmer, C. N. Lozano-Andrade [et al.] // NCIB 3610 biofilms. npj Biofilms Microbiomes 6, 1 (2020). – DOI 10.1038/s41522-019-0111-8.

15. Bacterial biofilm shows persistent resistance to liquid wetting and gas penetration / A. K. Epstein, B. Pokroy, A. Seminara, J. Aizenberg // PNAS. – January 18, 2011. – Vol. 108, No. 3. – P. 997. – DOI 10.1073/pnas.1011033108.

16. Kobayashi, K. BslA(YuaB) forms a hydrophobic layer on the surface of Bacillus subtilis / K. Kobayashi, M. Iwano // Molecular Microbiology. – 2012. – 85 (1). – Р. 51–66. – DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2012.08094.

17. Joshi, A. S. Interactions of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles with Bacterial Biofilms / A. S. Joshi, P. Singh, I. Mijakovic // Molecular Interactions behind Inhibition and Resistance. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 7658. – DOI 10.3390/ijms21207658.

18. The biofilm life cycle : expanding the conceptual model of biofilm formation / K. Sauer, P. Stoodley, D. M. Goeres, [et al.] // Nat Rev Microbiol 20, 608–620 (2022). – DOI 10.1038/s41579-022-00767-0.

19. Floating and Tether-Coupled Adhesion of Bacteria to Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Surfaces / R. van der Westen, J. Sjollema, R. Molenaar [et al.] // Langmuir. – 2018. – 34. – P. 4937−4944. – DOI 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b04331.

20. Arnaouteli, S. Just in case it rains : building a hydrophobic biofilm the Bacillus subtilis way / S. Arnaouteli, C. E. MacPhee, N. R. Stanley-Wall // Current Opinion in Microbiology. – 2016. – Vol. 34. – P. 7–12. – DOI 10.1016/j.mib.2016.07.012.

21. Relationship between Expression of the Family of M Proteins and Lipoteichoic Acid to Hydrophobicity and Biofilm Formation in Streptococcus pyogenes / H. S. Courtney, I. Ofek, T. Penfound [et al.]. – 2009. – DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0004166.

22. Lactobacillus plantarum : Effect of a protective biofilm on the surface of olives during storage / K. Faten, K. Hamida, E. A. Soumya [et al.] // Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. – 2015. – DOI 10.1016/j.bjm.2015.11.028.

23. LapF and Its Regulation by Fis Affect the Cell Surface Hydrophobicity of Pseudomonas putida / 23 LapF and Its Regulation by Fis Affect the Cell Surface Hydrophobicity of Pseudomonas putida / A. Lahesaare, H. Ainelo, A. Teppo [et al.] // PLoS ONE 11 (11) : e0166078. – 2016. – DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0166078. A. Lahesaare, H. Ainelo, A. Teppo [et al.] // PLoS ONE 11 (11) : e0166078. – 2016. – DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0166078.

24. Contribution of Spores to the Ability of Clostridium difficile To Adhere to Surfaces / L. T. Joshi, D. S. Phillips, C. F. Williams [et al.] // Appl Environ Microbiol-78. – 2012. – DOI 10.1128/AEM.01862-12.

25. Emelyanenko, K. A. Laser obtained superhydrophobic state for stainless steel corrosion protection, a review / K. A. Emelyanenko, A. M. Emelyanenko, L. B. Boinovich // Coatings. – 2023. – Vol. 13, No. 1. – P. 194.

26. Avdeev, Ya. G. Inhibitory protection of steels from high-temperature corrosion in acid solutions. A review. Part 1 / Ya. G. Avdeev, Yu. I. Kuznetsov // International Journal of Corrosion and Scale Inhibition. – 2020. – Vol. 9, No. 2. – P. 394–426. – DOI 10.17675/2305-6894-2020-9-2-2.

27. Recent advances in hydrophobic and icephobic surface treatments of concrete / R. Di Mundo [et al.] // Coatings. – 2020. – Vol. 10, No. 5. – P. 449.

28. Influence of a nano-hydrophobic admixture on concrete durability and steel corrosion / J. Cai [et al.] // Materials. – 2022. – Vol. 15, No. 19. – P. 6842.

29. Hydrophobic or superhydrophobic modification of cement-based materials : A systematic review / J. Zhao [et al.] // Composites Part B : Engineering. – 2022. – Vol. 243. – P. 110104.

30. Incising and Double Impregnation of Beech Sleepers-Investigation of an Alternative Preservation System for Wooden Railway Sleepers / M. Starck [et al.] // Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. – 2022. – Vol. 5. – P. 814049.

31. Thermal insulation and hydrophobization of wood impregnated with silica aerogel powder / H. Chen [et al.] // Journal of Wood Science. – 2020. – Vol. 66. – P. 1–11.

32. The triterpenoid curcumene mediates the relative hydrophilicity of Bacillus subtilis spores / S. Castaldi, G. Donadio, I. Staiano [et al.]. – DOI 10.1128/mbio.03024-24.

33. Brischke, C. Wood-water relationships and their role for wood susceptibility to fungal decay / C. Brischke, G. Alfredsen // Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 104 (9), 3781–3795. – 2020. – DOI 10.1007/s00253-020-10479-1.

34. Schmidt, O. Wood and Tree Fungi / O. Schmidt // Biology, Damage, Protection and Use. Springer, Berlin. – 2006. – URL: https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783540321385.

35. Biological control of wood decay fungi using antagonistic microorganisms / D. Jones [et al.] // Forest Products Journal. – 2020. – 70 (2). – P. 136–145. – DOI 10.13073/FPJ-D-19-00054.

36. A wood treatment based on siloxanes and boric acid against fungal decay and coleopter Hylotrupes bajulus / S. Palanti [et al.] // International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation. – 2012. – No. 75. – P. 49–54. – DOI 10.1016/j.ibiod.2012.03.012.