Sustainable materials – Page 4

Mycelium-Based Composites: Surveying Their Acceptance by Professional Architects

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Researchers surveyed 50 professional architects and interior designers about their views on building materials made from mycelium (the root network of fungi). While most weren’t familiar with these materials, 90% found them visually appealing after seeing examples. Interestingly, architects were more willing to use mycelium in projects for clients than in their own homes, suggesting some personal concerns about the material. Thermally processed mycelium was preferred over its natural appearance.

Advancing Food Preservation: Sustainable Green-AgNPs Bionanocomposites in Paper-Starch Flexible Packaging for Prolonged Shelf Life

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Researchers developed an eco-friendly food packaging material by coating paper with corn starch and tiny silver particles created through green chemistry methods. This innovative packaging significantly improved food durability, reducing weight loss in fresh produce like tomatoes and grapes by 6-8% over six days. The material is completely biodegradable and poses no safety concerns, making it a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic packaging.

You Are What You Eat: How Fungal Adaptation Can Be Leveraged toward Myco-Material Properties

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Fungi can be grown to create eco-friendly materials that could replace plastics and petroleum-based products. By controlling what fungi eat and where they grow, scientists can engineer the properties of these materials to be stronger, more flexible, or water-resistant. This approach leverages the natural ability of fungi to break down organic matter and adapt to their environment. Companies like IKEA and Dell are already using these fungal materials in product packaging.

Fungal and Microalgal Chitin: Structural Differences, Functional Properties, and Biomedical Applications

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Chitin is a natural fiber found in mushroom cell walls and algae that can be extracted and used for medical applications like wound healing and drug delivery. Traditional chitin from shellfish shells contains heavy metals and requires harsh chemicals to extract, but chitin from mushrooms and algae is cleaner, more sustainable, and can be grown year-round. Scientists have developed environmentally friendly extraction methods using special solvents and enzymes that preserve the chitin’s useful properties. This makes fungal and algal chitin promising alternatives for creating biomedical materials and packaging.

Assessing the Conformity of Mycelium Biocomposites for Ecological Insulation Solutions

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Researchers developed insulation materials made from mushroom mycelium combined with agricultural and industrial waste products. These eco-friendly composites perform comparably to conventional synthetic insulation in terms of thermal properties and actually outperform them in fire safety. The materials are fully biodegradable and require fewer fossil fuels to produce, making them an attractive sustainable alternative for building construction.

Development and Characterization of Mycelium-Based Composite Using Agro-Industrial Waste and Ganoderma lucidum as Insulating Material

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Researchers developed an eco-friendly insulation material using mushroom mycelium (Ganoderma lucidum) combined with waste plant materials from Colombia: Arboloco pith and grass clippings. The resulting material is lightweight, thermally efficient, and comparable to commercial insulators like expanded polystyrene. However, the material shrinks significantly and absorbs water when exposed to moisture, so additional treatments are needed before it can be widely used in buildings.

Fungal Innovations—Advancing Sustainable Materials, Genetics, and Applications for Industry

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Fungi can be engineered to create sustainable, eco-friendly materials that could replace traditional plastics and leather. Scientists are using advanced genetic tools to control how fungi grow and what they produce, enabling the creation of customized materials with specific properties. These fungal-based materials are biodegradable, require less water and energy to produce, and show promise for applications in packaging, clothing, and building materials. With improved manufacturing processes and genetic engineering, fungi could revolutionize how we make everyday products.

The Effects of the Substrate Length and Cultivation Time on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Mycelium-Based Cushioning Materials from Salix psammophila and Peanut Straw

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Researchers developed eco-friendly cushioning materials by growing mushroom mycelium (fungal networks) on agricultural waste like willow and peanut straw. These materials match the performance of plastic foam used in packaging but are completely biodegradable and made from renewable resources. By adjusting how long the mushrooms grow and the size of the substrate pieces, scientists can control the final product’s strength, flexibility, and water resistance.

3D printed gyroid scaffolds enabling strong and thermally insulating mycelium-bound composites for greener infrastructures

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Scientists developed a new eco-friendly building material by growing mushroom mycelium on specially designed 3D-printed scaffolds made from wood and plant-based plastic. These mycelium bricks are stronger, better insulators, and more fire-resistant than traditional bricks or foam insulation, while being completely biodegradable. This breakthrough could help reduce the construction industry’s massive carbon footprint and provide a sustainable alternative to harmful conventional building materials.

Bacterial Cellulose for Scalable and Sustainable Bio-Gels in the Circular Economy

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Bacterial cellulose is a naturally produced material that offers an eco-friendly alternative to plastics and synthetic fabrics. Scientists are developing efficient ways to produce it using waste products from food and agricultural industries through fermentation with special bacteria. This approach not only creates useful materials for textiles, packaging, and medical applications but also helps reduce environmental waste. The technology is advancing rapidly with genetic engineering techniques that can increase production yields and customize the material properties for different uses.

Research Keyword: Sustainable materials