Investigation of properties and applications of cellulose-mycelium foam

Ahmadi, Hoda; O’Keefe, Amanda; Bilek, Michael A.; Korehei, Reza; Kapu, Nuwan Sella; Martinez, Mark; Olson, James A.

doi:10.1007/s10853-022-07302-9

Cited by 2 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Lignocellulosic agricultural waste, agro-industrial by-products, and forestry residues are the most abundant biomass reserves and they have already been used in experimental and commercial mycelium composite production. [4,20,21,38,40,47,55,58,71,[81][82][83][84][85] Yet, lower densities (and strengths) have been recorded for mycelium composites based on lignocelluloses. [1] This is because their complex and stable structure requires a concentrated amount of enzymes by fungi to effectively decompose them into easily assimilable simple sugars, resulting in lower bioconversion yields.…”

Section: Lignocellulosic Agricultural Wastesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, these species have already been extensively utilized in the production of mycelium composites, indicating a substantial body of research supporting their suitability for this technology. [8,21,38,83,85,116]…”

Section: Basidiomycete Fungi In Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[196][197][198] Chitosan also becomes positively charged with NH 3+ groups in acidic media increasing its ability to bind toxic metal anions. [199][200][201] Ahmadi et al [21] have recently investigated and proposed the use of cellulose-mycelium composite foams in water filtration and purification, demonstrating their relatively high filtration efficiency. According to the authors, the porous mycelium structure enables physical filtration and detoxification in low-pressure water streams.…”

Section: Water Pollution Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ahmadi et al. [ 21 ] have recently investigated and proposed the use of cellulose‐mycelium composite foams in water filtration and purification, demonstrating their relatively high filtration efficiency. According to the authors, the porous mycelium structure enables physical filtration and detoxification in low‐pressure water streams.…”

Section: Potential Applications In Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[16] Through mycelium composite production, agricultural waste biomass can be converted into valuable green alternatives for packaging, foam, acoustic panels, [1] and potentially for other more advanced applications in the construction, electronics, adhesives, filtration, and bioremediation fields. [20][21][22][23] These materials could also be used to mitigate other pressing environmental challenges in the African continent (i.e., plastic, e-waste, and water pollution [24][25][26][27][28] ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mycelium Composites for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: The Case for Africa

Akromah,

Chandarana,

Eichhorn

2023

Advanced Sustainable Systems

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The socio‐economic struggles in Africa are partly attributed to the low productivity of the agricultural sector. The Sustainable Development Goals Centre for Africa (SDGC/A) and the African Development Bank Group (AfDBG) both agree that the continent needs sustainable interventions to boost agricultural productivity, employment, and income. In this regard, mycelium composite production can present one potential solution. The added value to agricultural waste used to produce mycelium composites can generate additional revenue for farmers, serving as an incentive to increase agricultural productivity. Furthermore, the establishment of mycelium composite start‐ups can increase employment and income, especially for women and the youth. Mycelium composites can also aid in mitigating environmental and health challenges caused by some of the current waste management practices in Africa. This review offers valuable insights into the potential use of mycelium composites as a sustainable alternative for Africa. It explores the potential use of locally accessible resources, the potential applications for the composites in Africa, and the potential challenges that may arise with this technology. It further assesses the potential contribution of this technology to sustainable development in Africa in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations (UN).

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Section: Lignocellulosic Agricultural Wastesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Basidiomycete Fungi In Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Water Pollution Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Potential Applications In Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mycelium Composites for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: The Case for Africa

Akromah,

Chandarana,

Eichhorn

2023

Advanced Sustainable Systems

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Development of Biodegradable Rigid Foams from Pineapple Field Waste

et al. 2023

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Pineapple materials sourced from agricultural waste have been employed to process novel bio-degradable rigid composite foams. The matrix for the foam consisted of starch extracted from pineapple stem, known for its high amylose content, while the filler comprised non-fibrous cellulosic materials sourced from pineapple leaf. In contrast to traditional methods that involve preparing a batter, this study adopted a unique approach where the starch gel containing glycerol were first formed using a household microwave oven, followed by blending the filler into the gel using a two-roll mill. The resulting mixture was then foamed at 160 °C using a compression molding machine. The foams displayed densities ranging from 0.43–0.51 g/cm3 and exhibited a highly amorphous structure. Notably, the foams demonstrated an equilibrium moisture content of approximately 8–10% and the ability to absorb 150–200% of their own weight without disintegration. Flexural strengths ranged from 1.5–4.5 MPa, varying with the filler and glycerol contents. Biodegradability tests using a soil burial method revealed complete disintegration of the foam into particles measuring 1 mm or smaller within 15 days. Moreover, to showcase practical applications, an environmentally friendly single-use foam tray was fabricated. This novel method, involving gel formation followed by filler blending, sets it apart from previous works. The findings highlight the potential of pineapple waste materials for producing sustainable bio-degradable foams with desirable properties and contribute to the field of sustainable materials.

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Investigation of properties and applications of cellulose-mycelium foam

Cited by 2 publications

References 47 publications

Mycelium Composites for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: The Case for Africa

Mycelium Composites for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: The Case for Africa

Development of Biodegradable Rigid Foams from Pineapple Field Waste

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