The project ran between May and October 2021.
This project has focused on the possibility of using solid fractions of cellulose-based residual streams from forestry and agriculture in a type of material composition that uses fungal mycelium as a binder.
The material has the potential to replace fossil plastic in a variety of products, e.g. in building materials, furnishing and packaging, since it is possible to shape in a variety of ways during production but is rigid once the production process is completed.
The result is according to the plan; a material composition that uses fungal mycelium as a binder.
The project has produced about 50 cultivation tests. Some were more successful than others. Of those who survived the contamination, a number was extruded. The difficulty of this method was that the material broke during molding. Some other culture samples were flattened, which worked. Some samples were presumed from existing residual current without major problems and 3D printing is about to work.
In the final phase of the project, the project found some shortcuts to a material variant that they have chosen to work on further. This material mixture has a great potential to be scaled up.
A small perception test was carried out via a workshop and the project found that the material gives a positive feeling: sustainable, humane, innovative, new, exciting, unique and with high potential to break through in the market. Challenges can be processing, physical properties and a cost-effective and even manufacturing method.
Participants
RISE, The Loop Factory and University in Halmstad.
Budget
The project’s total budget was 1 MSEK.
Read about FORMILL – new revolutionary biomaterial from residual streams with a unique upscaling process – step 2.