Mycelium Emerges as a Game

When you look closely, nature demonstrates an unusual flair for innovative solutions. An exciting scientific breakthrough proves this yet again. Scientists reveal they’ve found a way to tap into fungi, making use of its inherent biological systems to create fire-resistant materials. The main force behind this technological innovation is mycelium, a fascinating element that lies hidden beneath fungi’s visible surface.

Renowned for its vital role in ecosystem maintenance, mycelium is a vast subterranean network carrying nutrients, functioning somewhat like the ‘internet’ of the fungi world. Utilizing mycelium’s intriguing functionality, a pioneering team from RMIT University in Melbourne has successfully modified its chemical makeup to develop an efficient, sustainable, and fire-defiant material.

Led by biotechnology and mycology expert Associate Professor Tien Huynh, this team has cultivated pure mycelium sheets by bioengineering the fungi. “Fungi are usually found in a composite form mixed with residual feed material, but we found a way to grow pure mycelium sheets that can be layered and engineered into different uses,” explained Huynh. These pure mycelium sheets could revolutionize various industries, from providing sustainable building insulation to crafting eco-friendly “leather-like” materials for fashion.

The mycelium-based material possesses a unique fire-retardant feature. When exposed to extreme heat or fire, mycelium decomposes into a protective char layer which effectively shields underlying layers from the heat. According to Associate Professor Everson Kandare, an expert in the flammability and thermal properties of biomaterials, “the longer and the higher temperature at which mycelium char survives, the better its use as a fireproof material.”

The benefits of these mycelium sheets stretch beyond their potential use in the construction industry. Unlike traditional insulating materials that release toxic and harmful fumes when burnt, this material is plastic-free and environmentally friendly.

“Bromide, iodide, phosphorus and nitrogen-containing fire retardants are effective, but have adverse health and environmental effects. They pose health and environmental concerns, as carcinogens and neurotoxins that can escape and persist in the environment cause harm to plant and animal life. Bioderived mycelium produces naturally occurring water and carbon dioxide,” underlined Kandare. In addition to mycelium-based insulation, other sustainable options like hemp insulation are also gaining popularity for their thermal properties and eco-friendly nature. These innovative solutions are paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future in the construction industry.

Despite mycelium’s slow growth rate posing a challenge to scalable production, the RMIT team sees it as an opportunity for sustainability. Teaming up with the mushroom industry could turn fungal waste into a valuable resource for producing this fire-resistant material, replacing the need for new farms.

Thus, this breakthrough development opens a new way forward, blending science, technology, and nature to boost sustainability and fire safety. The RMIT team’s research promises a safer and more sustainable future, one where fire-safety materials are organically derived and inherently harmless.

The research Engineering mycelium fungi into an effective char-forming thermal protection material via alkaline deacetylation has been published in Polymer Degradation and Stability.