Development of Formaldehyde-Free Bio-Board Produced from Mushroom Mycelium and Substrate Waste

Author: mycolabadmin
2020-12-05
View Source

Summary

Researchers developed an innovative eco-friendly building material using mushroom waste and natural fungal growth, eliminating the need for harmful chemical adhesives commonly used in plywood production. This breakthrough offers a sustainable solution for both waste management and safer building materials. Impacts on everyday life: • Healthier indoor environments through formaldehyde-free building materials • Reduced environmental impact from mushroom farming waste • More sustainable and safer alternatives to traditional wood products • Lower exposure to harmful chemicals in home and office furniture • Economic benefits through waste material utilization

Background

Synthetic adhesives in the plywood industry typically contain hazardous formaldehyde-based chemicals that are costly and harmful to health and the environment. With increasing global mushroom consumption projected to reach 20.84 billion tons by 2026, the disposal of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) waste presents significant environmental challenges. This has created interest in developing bio-boards without synthetic adhesives while finding sustainable uses for SMS waste.

Objective

To develop and evaluate formaldehyde-free bio-boards using natural mycelium from mushroom cultivation as a bio-adhesive material to convert spent mushroom substrate into high-performance building materials. The study aimed to assess different types of SMS and mushroom species for optimal bio-board production without synthetic adhesives.

Results

Bio-boards made from Ganoderma lucidum SMS achieved the highest internal bonding strength of 2.51 mPa, significantly exceeding the 0.4-0.8 mPa range required by China and US national standards. The materials demonstrated high water and fire resistance along with strong bonding and densified structures despite containing no adhesive chemicals. All bio-board variants produced surpassed industrial standard requirements.

Conclusion

The study successfully demonstrated the green production of high-quality bio-boards without chemical synthetic adhesives. SMS derived from Ganoderma lucidum showed exceptional performance with superior mechanical strength, water resistance, and structural properties. The mycelium effectively acted as a natural binding agent, offering a sustainable solution for both SMS waste management and formaldehyde-free building materials.

Published in:Journal of Hazardous Materials,
Study Type:Experimental Research,
Source: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123296