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Tailoring the Mechanical Properties of Fungal Mycelium Mats with Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing of PHBH and PLA Biopolymers

Summary

Researchers have developed a new method to strengthen mushroom-based materials by using 3D printing to apply layers of plant-based plastics onto them. These reinforced materials have significantly improved strength while remaining fully biodegradable and compostable. This innovation makes fungal mycelium materials suitable for more demanding applications like flexible textiles and wearable electronics, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based products.

Background

Fungal mycelium-based materials are emerging sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based and animal-derived products due to their biodegradability, low carbon footprint, and cruelty-free nature. However, the mechanical properties of pure fungal mycelium products remain limited, necessitating reinforcement approaches. This study addresses this challenge by combining fungal mycelium with biopolymers via 3D printing.

Objective

This study aims to reinforce fungal mycelium mats by depositing defined patterns of biodegradable biopolymers (PHBH and PLA) via material extrusion additive manufacturing to enhance mechanical properties while maintaining sustainability. The research evaluates improvements in tensile strength, elasticity, roughness, and morphology of the resulting composites.

Results

PLA-reinforced mycelium composites (M-PLA) demonstrated superior mechanical properties with ultimate tensile strength approximately 4.8 times higher than pure mycelium and Young’s modulus 30 times greater. PHBH-reinforced composites (M-PHBH) also improved mechanical properties but to a lesser extent. However, elasticity was reduced in both composite variations, and an unexpected dense layer was observed between the polymers and mycelium affecting adhesion.

Conclusion

Material extrusion additive manufacturing successfully enhances fungal mycelium mechanical properties using biodegradable biopolymers. PLA provides superior reinforcement compared to PHBH, though home-compostable PHBH offers better environmental advantages. Optimizing adhesion through printing parameters, surface pretreatment, and cultivation methods could further improve composite quality while maintaining full biodegradability for sustainable applications.
  • Published in:ACS Omega,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: 10.1021/acsomega.4c07661
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