Sustainable materials – Page 2

Nanostructured Aerogels for Water Decontamination: Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

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Aerogels are ultra-light, ultra-porous materials made mostly of air that can effectively remove toxic pollutants from contaminated water. These materials can absorb heavy metals, oil spills, dyes, and pesticides from water, offering a promising solution to global water contamination problems. Scientists are developing new types of aerogels using sustainable methods to make them more practical and affordable for large-scale water treatment applications in communities worldwide.

Patent landscape analysis for materials based on fungal mycelium: a guidance report on how to interpret the current patent situation

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This report analyzes patents protecting mycelium-based materials that could replace plastic and petroleum products in construction, packaging, and insulation. Researchers found 73 existing patents and 34 applications, mostly owned by three US companies, with concerns that overly broad patent protections may be slowing innovation in this promising sustainable materials field. The findings suggest that while mycelium materials show tremendous potential as eco-friendly alternatives, patent restrictions need better management to accelerate their development and commercialization.

Waste Rose Flower and Lavender Straw Biomass—An Innovative Lignocellulose Feedstock for Mycelium Bio-Materials Development Using Newly Isolated Ganoderma resinaceum GA1M

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Researchers developed eco-friendly building materials by growing mushroom mycelium (Ganoderma resinaceum) on waste residues from rose and lavender essential oil production. These waste biomasses, typically discarded or burned, were successfully converted into biocomposites with properties comparable to hempcrete and other sustainable materials. The resulting mycelium-based materials are completely natural, biodegradable, and possess antimicrobial and aromatic properties, offering a promising sustainable alternative to synthetic materials.

Fully Bio-Based Hybrid Composites Made of Wood, Fungal Mycelium and Cellulose Nanofibrils

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Scientists developed a new type of eco-friendly composite material by combining wood particles, fungal mycelium, and cellulose fibers without using toxic formaldehyde glues. The fungus naturally bonds to the wood surface, and when combined with plant-based cellulose fibers, creates a strong, water-resistant material suitable for furniture and packaging. This fully natural composite requires much less cellulose fiber than previous methods, making it more practical for commercial production.

Extrusion-based additive manufacturing of fungal-based composite materials using the tinder fungus Fomes fomentarius

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Scientists have developed a way to 3D print objects using mushroom mycelium (the thread-like structure of fungi) mixed with seaweed-derived alginate. These lightweight, spongy printed objects are biodegradable and have properties similar to polystyrene foam, but are made from renewable resources. This breakthrough could eventually replace plastic foam in packaging and other applications with an eco-friendly fungal alternative.

Mycelium-Based Composites for Interior Architecture: Digital Fabrication of Acoustic Ceiling Components

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Researchers developed acoustic ceiling tiles made from mycelium, the root-like part of mushrooms, grown in 3D-printed molds. These sustainable tiles reduce noise in interior spaces while using agricultural waste and requiring minimal energy to produce. The study shows that mycelium-based materials can effectively absorb sound similar to conventional acoustic panels while being completely biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

Turning the Cocopith Waste into Myceliated Biocomposite to Make an Insulator

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Researchers developed an environmentally-friendly insulation material by growing mushroom mycelium (Ganoderma lucidum) on cocopith, a waste product from coconut fiber processing. The resulting biocomposite has thermal insulation properties comparable to commercial insulators like Styrofoam and polyurethane, but is completely biodegradable and made from agricultural waste. This innovation addresses waste management problems while creating a sustainable material for thermal insulation in buildings, food processing, and industrial equipment.

The Production of Biochar and Its Impact on the Removal of Various Emerging Pollutants from Wastewater: A Review

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Biochar is a charcoal-like material made from plant and animal waste through a heating process called pyrolysis. This material acts like a sponge that can trap harmful pollutants from contaminated water, including heavy metals, medicines, and pesticides. Scientists have developed various ways to improve biochar’s cleaning power, making it an affordable and environmentally friendly solution for purifying water.

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

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Researchers have developed a novel method to make mushroom-based materials stronger by coating them with biodegradable plastics using 3D printing technology. This approach combines fungal mycelium from Fomes fomentarius with eco-friendly polymers to create composites that are significantly stronger than plain mycelium while remaining fully compostable. The resulting materials could be used for flexible devices, interior design, and other applications where both strength and environmental sustainability are important.

Artificial Neural Network Prediction of Mechanical Properties in Mycelium-Based Biocomposites

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Scientists developed an artificial intelligence model that can predict how strong and durable mushroom-based composite materials will be. These composites are made by growing mushroom mycelium (fungal threads) through wood particles and other plant materials, creating an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic materials. The AI model learns from physical measurements and can accurately predict mechanical properties, potentially reducing the need for extensive testing and helping design better sustainable materials.

Research Topic: Sustainable materials