Upcycling end-of-life mattresses into sustainable insulation materials through development of mycelium based biocomposites
- Author: mycolabadmin
- 12/18/2025
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Summary
Scientists developed an innovative way to recycle old mattresses by growing fungus on shredded mattress waste, creating a new insulation material. The resulting biocomposite is extremely heat-resistant, remaining stable even at temperatures above 990°C, and has insulation properties comparable to commercial products. This approach converts waste mattresses into valuable building materials while promoting environmental sustainability through circular economy principles.
Background
End-of-life mattresses present significant recycling challenges, with current processes recovering only 44-64% of mattress material. Mycelium-based composites offer a promising sustainable alternative for converting heterogeneous mattress waste into functional materials with added environmental benefits.
Objective
This study investigates the development of sustainable insulation materials through bioconversion of mattress waste into mycelium-based biocomposites, with systematic characterization of thermal performance and fire-retardant properties following chemical post-treatment.
Results
The mycelium-mattress composite retained 93±5% weight at 997°C and 90±5% at 1000°C, far exceeding glass wool controls. Thermal conductivity measured 0.048±0.002 W/m.K, matching common sustainable insulators. FTIR and XRD confirmed calcium carbonate in calcite phase, formed through fungal degradation and biomineralization processes.
Conclusion
Fungal bioconversion of mattress waste produces high-performance, fire-resistant insulation materials through mycelium-facilitated biomineralization. This approach demonstrates viable circular economy applications while converting heterogeneous post-consumer waste into environmentally sustainable building materials.
- Published in:Scientific Reports,
- Study Type:Experimental Research,
- Source: 10.1038/s41598-025-30954-x