Material grown on a fungal mycelium and cellulose substrate is widely known in the world as mycoplast. The mycelium feeds on cellulose while forming a layer of strong chitin on its surface. Such a method allows the cultivation of various forms under sterile conditions.
The growth medium is inoculated with mycelium and the mycelium acts as an adhesive that makes the substrate fully cohesive. The resulting material is light and non-flammable. The visual and tactile properties of the surface vary. The material is biodegradable and can replace longdegradable synthetic materials.
Ingredients
Alder sawdust, mycelium (Ganoderma resinaceum).
Method
The raw material is sterilized at high temperature and then inoculated with mycelium. The mycelium acts as an adhesive in its substrate and binds the friable growth medium to a uniform mass which is placed in a transparent plastic mold of the selected shape. After complete colonization of the substrate, the detail is dried, thereby killing mycelium. The result is a light biodegradable material.
Usage
Mycoplast is currently used as an alternative packaging material. In addition, it can be used to improve the acoustic properties of a room, to achieve fire resistance of room elements and as objects of different scales.
Author
Myceen (Siim Karro, Erki Nagla)
Contact
info@myceen.com
References
Võta ühendust
EKA Materjalikogu
materials@artun.ee
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Eesti Kunstiakadeemia
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