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Structure and Properties of Cellulose/Mycelium Biocomposites

Summary

This research demonstrates an eco-friendly way to create biological materials by growing fungal mycelium on cellulose fibers. The process transforms regular cellulose into a more refined material without using harsh chemicals or energy-intensive processes. This has important implications for everyday life: • More sustainable packaging materials could be developed to replace plastic • Medical applications could benefit from new biocompatible materials • Manufacturing could become more environmentally friendly with less energy use • New biodegradable products could help reduce waste and pollution • Cost-effective production of advanced materials could make sustainable products more affordable

Background

Current environmental problems require low-energy, environmentally friendly methods and nature-like technologies for creating materials. Cellulose, as the most abundant biopolymer in nature, is considered the main raw material for biocompatible and biodegradable materials. However, the high-energy cost of deep processing cellulose is a major obstacle to widespread cellulose-based nanomaterials. Direct biotransformation of cellulose fibrils into fungal mycelial fibrils offers an alternative approach.

Objective

To study the possibility of direct biotransformation of fibrillar cellulose by fungi through obtaining a cellulose/mycelium-based biocomposite. The study aimed to investigate the biotransformation dynamics of cellulose fibrils and characterize the resulting biocomposite materials.

Results

The diameter of cellulose fibrils was successfully tuned by fungi to obtain cellulose-based mycelium fibers with narrower diameter-size distribution compared to pristine cellulose fibrils. Complete transformation of cellulose microfibrils into basidiomycetes hyphae occurred during 2-weeks of cultivation, while nanofibrils took 5 days. The resulting biocomposite showed characteristic bands in FTIR indicating presence of chitin/chitin glucan in cell walls. The morphology of mycelium differed when micro or nanofibrils were used as substrate.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated successful biotransformation of cellulose into mycelium-based fibers through an environmentally friendly, low-energy process. The method allows for decreasing fibril diameter without additional chemical or mechanical treatment. The resulting biocomposite materials show potential for various applications including biomedical uses, though further investigation is needed.
  • Published in:Polymers,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research,
  • Source: 10.3390/polym14081519
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