A Composite Material Made from Wood and Mycelium. A carbon-neutral technology
Researchers at the University of Kassel in Germany have developed a technology for creating composite materials based on wood and mycelium to produce carbon-neutral, environmentally friendly interior elements for office buildings. The method is aimed at modernizing existing spaces in keeping with the principles of the circular economy.
Mycelium, the root system of fungi, has a unique ability to grow into a variety of forms. The material is similar to polystyrene in its properties, but it is biodegradable and is grown from plant waste such as coffee grounds or crop residues. Today, mycelium is used in the production of packaging, insulation, and acoustic materials. Without reinforcement, however, such composites have low load-bearing capacity.
To solve this problem, the team of scientists developed an automated, glue-free manufacturing process that uses local maple wood to create 3D lattice structures. The wood acts as a framework and reinforcement, providing the strength the composite needs. The resulting materials underwent a series of tests to confirm their mechanical and acoustic properties, as well as their suitability at the architectural scale.
Computer modeling techniques made it possible to study the structural characteristics of the materials and to create new value chains that put the principles of the circular economy into practice. A detailed life-cycle analysis of one of the demonstration samples showed that the proposed process is more sustainable than traditional commercial partition solutions.
The project is a collaboration between the University of Kassel (Prof. Eversmann), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Prof. Hebel), and ARUP (Dr. Jan Wurm). This interdisciplinary team combined expertise in additive manufacturing, biomaterials, and integrated design to achieve its goals.
The next phase of the project, called HOME 2.0, is planned for 2023–2025 and will continue developing technologies for the use of mycelium composites in construction.
The strategies developed in the research offer great potential for creating sustainable, scalable architectural elements, confirming the promise of mycelium composites as a building material of the future.
