Flexible Fungal Materials: Shaping the Future.

Antoni Gandia, Jeroen G van den Brandhof, Freek V W Appels, Mitchell P Jones

Journal: Trends in biotechnology 2022;39(12):1321-1331

PMID: 33812663

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Fungi are a revolutionary, smart, and sustainable manufacturing platform that can be used to upcycle byproducts and wastes into flexible fungal materials (FFMs) such as chitin- and β-glucan-based foams, paper, and textiles. With highly adaptable manufacturing pathways, the efficiency and properties of these materials depend on the biomass source and fermentation method. Liquid substrates provide fast, upscalable, and compact production processes but are susceptible to contamination and are limited to paper-like materials for printing, wound dressings, and membranes. Solid-state fermentation is cheaper but struggles to deliver homogeneous fungal growth and is used to produce fungal foams for packaging, insulation, textiles, and leather substitutes. The broad range of applications and uses of biological organisms in materials hallmarks fungi as forerunners in improving environmental sustainability globally.

Address: Institut de Biologia Molecular i Cellular de Plantes (IBMCP), Consell Superior d'Investigacions Científiques (CSIC), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Valencia, Spain.; Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.; Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9, 1060 Vienna, Austria; Institute of Material Chemistry and Research, Polymer and Composite Engineering (PaCE) Group, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 42, 1090 Vienna, Austria; School of Engineering, RMIT University, Bundoora East Campus, PO Box 71, Bundoora 3083, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.03.002

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MeSH Terms: Bandages, Biomass, Chitin, Fermentation, Fungi