Research Topic: biocomposites

Effect of AgNPs on PLA-Based Biocomposites with Polysaccharides: Biodegradability, Antibacterial Activity and Features

Scientists created new eco-friendly plastic films made from corn-based PLA combined with natural starches and tiny silver particles. These films can break down in soil while also killing harmful bacteria, making them ideal for food packaging. The materials maintained good antibacterial properties even as they slowly degraded in the environment, showing promise as sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics.

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Highly Filled Biocomposites Based on Metallocene Ethylene-Octene Copolymers with Wood Flour: Features of a Biodegradation Mechanism

Scientists studied plastic materials mixed with wood flour to understand how they break down in soil. By testing different amounts of wood flour mixed with a special plastic called ethylene-octene copolymer, they found that having 40% wood flour creates the best conditions for biodegradation. The wood particles spread throughout the plastic create more surface area for microbes and environmental factors to attack, which speeds up decomposition. This research helps create better biodegradable plastics for sustainable products.

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Effect of AgNPs on PLA-Based Biocomposites with Polysaccharides: Biodegradability, Antibacterial Activity and Features

Scientists created a new type of eco-friendly plastic made from PLA (a biodegradable polymer) mixed with silver nanoparticles and natural starches or chitosan. These new materials can kill bacteria and break down naturally in soil within a few months, making them useful for food packaging and medical applications. The addition of silver particles gave the materials antibacterial properties without reducing their ability to biodegrade in natural soil conditions.

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Radiation protection and structural stability of fungal melanin polylactic acid biocomposites in low Earth orbit

Scientists tested special materials made with fungal melanin and plastic in space to see if they could protect against radiation. After 6 months on the International Space Station, materials containing fungal melanin showed better resistance to damage than regular plastic. These bio-based materials could help protect astronauts and equipment during long space missions while being more sustainable than traditional synthetic materials.

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Biocomposites Based on Mould Biomass and Waste Fibres for the Production of Agrotextiles: Technology Development, Material Characterization, and Agricultural Application

Researchers developed a new eco-friendly material made from mould mycelium combined with waste plant fibres that can be used as a substitute for synthetic agricultural textiles. The material successfully grows in about 5 days, can be completely biodegraded in soil within 10 days, and helps seeds germinate faster. This innovation supports sustainable farming by eliminating microplastic pollution from traditional synthetic crop covers while providing better properties than many conventional alternatives.

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Phlebiopsis friesii (Phanerochaetaceae, Polyporales), a New Record in Thailand and the First Preliminary Characterization of Its Potential in Mycelium Mats

Researchers in Thailand discovered a mushroom species called Phlebiopsis friesii and found it could be used to create a sustainable leather alternative. By growing the mushroom mycelium (the thread-like root structure) in different nutrient broths and treating it with special chemicals, scientists created flexible, leather-like mats that could replace animal leather in fashion and manufacturing. This discovery offers an eco-friendly solution to reduce the environmental damage caused by traditional leather production.

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Biocomposites Based on Mould Biomass and Waste Fibres for the Production of Agrotextiles: Technology Development, Material Characterization, and Agricultural Application

Researchers developed a new biodegradable material for agriculture made from mould mycelium and waste plant fibres. This eco-friendly crop cover can be used instead of synthetic plastic sheets that damage soil and pollute it with microplastics. The material breaks down naturally in soil within 10 days and can help seeds germinate better, offering farmers a sustainable alternative for protecting their crops.

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

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.

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Anisotropic Growth of Filamentous Fungi in Wood Hydrogel Composites Increases Mechanical Properties

Researchers created strong, eco-friendly composite materials by growing fungi inside delignified wood. The fungi naturally aligned with the wood fiber structure, which significantly strengthened the resulting material. By adjusting the type of wood, fungal species, and nutrient content, scientists could fine-tune the material properties. These sustainable composites show promise for use in building materials and packaging applications.

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Strongest untreated mycelium materials produced by Schizophyllum commune dikaryons

Scientists have developed a new method to produce exceptionally strong mushroom-based materials by using dikaryotic strains of Schizophyllum commune instead of monokaryotic strains. These new materials achieved record-breaking strength of 47 MPa, making them stronger than existing mycelium materials while maintaining flexibility. The enhanced strength comes from differences in cell wall composition and lower expression of a specific gene that normally affects material density. This breakthrough could lead to improved fungal-based alternatives for leather and textiles.

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