Authors:

Simone Xin Moulton

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About Paper:

The environmental and ethical concerns of the bovine and synthetic leather industries have highlighted a need for sustainable alternatives in leather textile production. Fungal leather (i.e. Mycoleather) has emerged as a promising solution due to its material similarity to traditional leather, biodegradability, low carbon footprint, and versatile methods of production. This study aims to investigate the impact of substrate type, growth system design, and product post-treatment on the manufacturability of mycoleather. This will be achieved by recreating the results of industry-leading mycoleather production processes and developing novel growth system technologies able to fulfill the market requirements. Fungal sheets are grown using two methods: solid granular substrates and Mycoponics™. The first method involves inoculating a solid substrate (e.g. sawdust) with liquid mycelium culture, to create a mycelium mat, which is overlaid with a porous material (e.g. cotton) for embedment and enhancing material durability and flexibility. Mycoponics™, a liquid-based cultivation technique, on the other hand, delivers liquid nutrients through bioengineered porous ceramic elements, eliminating the need for granular solid substrates. Post-harvest, the mycelial mats involve physical and chemical treatment to improve strength, flexibility, and water resistance. Properties and product quality are measured by mechanical, optical, thermal and physicochemical properties. Measured values are then compared to industry standard values for cowhide leather (e.g tensile strength: > 8.0 MPa, elongation 10-80%, tear stress: > 20 N). These results will contribute to the understanding of fungus-based bioregenerative engineering and provide foundation for expansion and diversification of production processes in sustainable materials manufacturing. Keywords: Mycoponics™; Sustainability; Leather; Bioregenerative; Fungus

Source:

Purdue University / 2024

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Co-authors:

Simone Xin Moulton