PROPERTIES OF MYCELIUM-COMPOSITE BIOBASED INSULATION MATERIALS WITH LOCAL ORGANIC WASTE STREAMS AS SUBSTRATE AND AFTER USE FOR MUSHROOM CULTIVATION.

Author(s): J. F. Vette, W. O. J. Böttger
Paper category: Proceedings
Book title: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Bio-Based Building Materials ICBBM 2019
Editor(s): Mohammed SONEBI and Sofiane AMZIANE
ISBN:
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-229-9
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2019
Pages: 715 - 716
Total Pages: 2
Language: English

Abstract: Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a fibrous, dense network, enveloping and
attaching itself to organic matter. When grown on a fibrous substrate material and subsequently dried a
composite material is created with the fungus acting as the binder. The material its thermal and acoustic
insulating properties in combination with the fire-retarding property of the mycelium make these foam-like
composites suitable as circular bio-based insulation material. Currently the manufacturing of these
composites is expensive relative to other circular insulation materials and conventional insulation materials.
This research investigates two possible approaches with the intend to reduce manufacturing costs of
mycelium composites: Approach I) Enabling the use of less expensive substrate materials. By using local
waste streams instead of primary products material and transport costs can be reduced. Approach II) Using
the fungus for both mycelium production and mushroom cultivation. By using Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster
mushroom) as the binding fungus the developed material can be used for both the cultivation of oyster
mushrooms and the intended insulation material. To enable approach I) two local waste streams are
identified as suitable substrates in the Netherlands: Tomato stems from greenhouse horticulture and reed
from waterfront maintenance by the local Water Board. Tomato stems, reed and the conventional straw
are used to grow mycelium composites, with P. ostreatus as the binding fungus. Samples are grown until
suitable for insulation and partly used to grow mushrooms. For all samples the thermal insulating properties
are defined by measuring the thermal conductivity.

Online publication: 2019
Publication type: full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00