Mycelium-Based Composite: An Experimental Study on the Utilization of Sawdust and Glass Fines as Substrates for Potential Fungi-Based Bio-Formed Insulation Board

Abstract

In the past few decades, there has been a lot of attention given to the integration of living systems into material science for the synthesis of useful materials from biological resources. This is in line with the demand for the creation of innovative materials in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. For instance, mushroom-forming fungi's vegetative part is grown on various organic substrates to create composites based on fungal mycelium. This current study investigates the feasibility of using organic and non-organic substrates such as sawdust and glass fine for a fungi-based bio-formed insulation board. Additionally, it delineated the fabrication process of biodegradable “bio-board” out of this type of agricultural waste utilizing a green synthesis method and Pleurotus ostreatus (P. ostreatus) mycelium as a natural adhesive material. The composite performed satisfactorily in compressive strength surpassing traditional insulation materials. However, it performed inadequately in terms of moisture absorption. The mycelium also provided greater value rather than commercially available insulation materials in terms of peak temperature except for glass wool insulation. The results of this experiment suggest that an eco-friendly alternative for insulation boards can be developed from waste of both the agricultural and industrial industries.