Myco-Composites and Biocomposite Design

Hybrid-living materials using fungal mycelium and other components.

A method to create myco-composites with high precision.

Introducing mycelium to a material without direct contact.

Designing composites with different layers for strength and function.

Providing specific nutrients to control mycelium growth.

A myco-composite that can be produced in large quantities.

A myco-composite with properties that can be adjusted.

Mechanical properties (like strength) of biocomposites are influenced by factors like the cellulose proportion and print method.

Material properties that vary depending on the direction of force application.

Direction of printing nozzle's movement relative to testing direction.

Maximum strength of the material when pulled in the direction parallel to the print path.

Lowest strength of the material when pulled in the direction perpendicular to the print path.

How cellulose fibers are arranged within the printed material.

Variations in material properties within a single filament due to fiber alignment caused by shear stress during extrusion.

Measuring fiber alignment using tangent divergence to assess how closely fibers align with the print direction.

Materials with multiple levels of organization creating superior properties.

The network of thread-like structures (hyphae) that make up a fungus.

A material made from a combination of a biological material (like mycelium) and a synthetic or natural material.

Fully colonized biocomposites absorb less water and swell less than non-colonized ones after submersion.

Initially high porosity of the material leads to faster water absorption and swelling

Mycelium's ability to bridge gaps between materials.

A container made by printing biocomposite panels separated by gaps, then letting the mycelium grow to bridge the gaps, forming flexible hinges.

The bio-welded container seals itself completely after colonization, leveraging mycelium's ability to bridge gaps and grow.

Mycelium-sealed containers are waterproof, provided with constant nutrition.

Mycelium-based packaging is a potentially sustainable alternative to traditional methods, due to its insulative and flame-resistant properties.

Small islands of biocomposite printed with specific spacing, and then colonized, creating a flexible, textile-like material

Mycelium can bridge gaps of up to 8 mm.

Mycelium demonstrates insulative and flame-resistant properties.

Myco-composites are hybrid-living materials that combine fungal mycelium with other components.

Myco-composites offer a unique combination of biodegradability, sustainability, and potential for custom design.

The design space for myco-composites includes factors like material formulation, fungal species, and processing parameters.

Biomateriomics is the study of using computational approaches to accelerate the discovery and optimization of biological materials.

Biomateriomics can help speed up the development of myco-composites with specific properties.

A nutrient-rich medium used to grow mycelium in petri dishes.

Mycelium cultures are prepared by inoculating agar plates with liquid or solid mycelium.

Parameters like coffee content, hydration level, and acidity can be varied to investigate myco-composite design.

Biocomposites offer advantages like biodegradability, renewable resources, and potential for sustainable manufacturing.

The future of myco-composites holds potential for scalable manufacturing, new applications, and further advancements.