ILLINOIS-CHICAGO Impact of Various Organic Substrates on Trametes versicolor Mycelium-Based Composites as a Basis for Novel Insulation

Overview

With the rise of fossil fuel extraction and reliance on the non-renewable materials that are produced from these resources, interest in more sustainable materials has increased to combat the negative environmental consequences of our current economy. Mycelium-based composites, a material composed from the growth of fungal mycelium (the vegetative, fibrous component of mushroom-forming fungi) on an organic lignocellulosic material substrate (plant biomass composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin), make up a promising solution due to their potential to replace traditional insulators and packaging materials, many of which contribute to millions of metric tons of waste and pollution. Despite the benefits, the field is relatively new and largely undeveloped because of the complexities in the fabrication process. This experiment investigated the optimal substrate with which to compose the material. Focusing on comparing thermal conductivity measurements across different test groups (wheat straw, rice straw, hemp hurds) rather than comparing results with previous literature, which is often proprietary, the study concluded that rice straw composites were most promising and relatively comparable to traditional insulation as there was no statically significant difference between the groups (ANOVA p=0.3235). More research is recommended to continue to optimize the material, with focus on commercializing production.

Competition history

• JSHS 2022 Category not listed

Resources

• National JSHS abstract book ↗

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