Waste & Mycelium
Author Bec Bastoli is a first year Industrial Design student at RMIT university and completed a Diploma of Product design at Enmore Design College in 2013. She returned to university studies at 25 with a renewed passion for learning about and contributing to the field of sustainable design. After completing her Diploma, she interned with Amigo and Amigo, an interactive lighting and design studio in Sydney. Bec also has experience working in customer service for more than 8 years with T2 Tea giving her a unique insight into the consumer mentality and experience empathising with what other people need and what.
Cover Figure 1. Mycelium FMY7743 Š Alison Pouliot Above Figure 2. MycoComposite. Reprinted from We Grow Materails, by Ecovatuve Design, 2019, Retrived from https://ecovativedesign.com/
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Contents SECTION 1
SECTION 2
INTRODUCTION........................... 4
MAKING - WHERE TO BEGIN....... 33
• Mycelium • Why Mycelium
BASIC STEPS................................. 34
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.............. 10 • • • •
Ecovative and Danielle Troffe Mycelium Lamps by Nir Meiri Redhouse Architecture - Bioterials DIY Growers
• Collection & Pasteurisation • Inoculation • Growing • Shaping • Drying • Sterilise and stabilise
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES................ 36 • Collection & Pasteurisation • Inoculation Substrates from waste • Growing Form, aesthetics and mechanical • Contribution to the design field qualities of a mycelium composites and my own practice
WHAT NEXT................................. 22 • •
SUBSTRATE OPTIONS................. 28
CONCLUSION.............................. 43
• • • • •
LIST OF FIGURES......................... 44
Hardwood Woodchip/Sawdust Mango Sawdust Coffee Grounds Straw and woody agricultural waste Shredded Paper/Cardboard
REFERENCE LIST.......................... 46
RESEARCH REFLECTION............. 30
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Introduction Sustainable design, or more specifically the rise of design focused around creating products with a lower impact on our environment is a (much needed) global trend (Ceschin, F., & Gaziulusoy, I, 2016). One of the ways in which designers are tackling this issue is by blurring the lines of science and design and taking on the role of the “active maker” of their raw materials rather than just the “passive recipient” of them. (Karana, et al, 2018). Some of the ways that designers are becoming “active makers” is with bio plastics made from food waste (Hitti, 2019) bacteria (Hitti, 2019) and algae (Morby, 2016). Unfortunately, while these projects are steps in the right direction, many of them are still in the early stages of development and are, at this stage, not scalable due to limited applications and the difficulty of processing the raw materials. (Kalia, et al 2011) Therefore, in this report I will be focusing on the more specific field of mycelium based growing design. Although this method of bio fabrication is relatively new, as seen in the cases discussed below the field has a lot of exciting potential. What excites me in particular is the ability of this method of bio fabrication to incorporate readily available waste material from essential non-fossil-based sources such as the food industry and the building industry. Due to the simple methods of manufacturing using the medium, production is easily scalable. Additionally, products created with mycelium based growing design are also compostable; offering the potential for a readily available material that will not pollute our planet.
Right Figure 3. Mycelium RH. Reprinted from Wikimedia Commons, by R. Hille, 2011, Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mycelium_RH_(3).jpg CC BY-SA 3.0
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Above Figure 4. Flowering Oyster Mushroom. Reprinted from Creative Commons, by N. Woods, 2007, Retrieved from https://ccsearch.creativecommons.org/photos/85564e29-7377-4fc8b900-18cb544c79ef CC BY-SA 2.0
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Mycelium Mycelium, described by Paul Stamets (2005) as “the earth’s natural internet”, is the underground main body of Fungi and makes up the root system of the flowering bodies that we see and recognise as mushrooms. Figure 5 shows an example of the thin web-like structures of Mycelium as it grows underground (Hille, 2011) and Figure 4 shows the flowing mushroom, in this case the Oyster Mushroom (Wood, 2007). In a report of the state of the world’s fungi by Kew Royal Botanical Gardens; mycelium is described as a “multicellular body comprising an interconnected network… of minute, protoplasm-filled tubes called hyphae. The individual threadlike tubes extend at their tips and form branches that explore their environment, fight with other fungi to occupy territory, or interact with other organisms.” (Willis, K. J, 2018) Mycelial networks exist beneath almost all our landscapes. As well as creating the rich humus, which gives soil its nutrients, mycelial bodies hold soil together, and can
hold up to 30 000 times their own mass in soil. (TED, 2008) An integral part of mycelium based composites are the substrates. A substrate is defined as “a substance or surface that an organism grows and lives on and is supported by”. (Cambridge Dictionary, 2019) In this case a substrate is any material which the mycelium feeds from and grows on. In the same way that mycelium feeds on a substrate of decomposing debris in a forest and holds together soils, it has the ability to feed off and bind together a substrate of waste material to create a new form. To make a mycelium composite material mycelium and a substrate are placed into a mould and then mycelium consumes and grows around substrate into the form of the mould. Once the form has grown and filled out the mould, it is then dried to sterilise and stabilise the structure. The flowering mushrooms in figure 6 illustrate what will happen if the mycelium is left to grow.
Above Figure 5. Hyphal Growth. Reprinted from Myceliumm, by Australian National Botanical Gardens, 2013, Retrieved from https://www.anbg.gov.au/fungi/mycelium.html
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Why Mycelium? There are a couple of things that excite me about mycelium composites. It utilises waste materials from industries essential to our lives and livelihoods – food agriculture and housing, and it does not rely on, and therefore perpetuate our problematic dependence on fossil-based products (Fairs, M. 2018). Australia is currently suffering a recycling crisis. In 2018 China drastically reduced the amount of recycling it would import, restricting the contamination limit of 24 varieties of solid waste to only 0.5 per cent. Now that China is only taking a fraction of the recycling material it used to, much of Australia’s recycling is being stored in warehouses, and in some cases
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it is being diverted to landfill. Even if our waste is recycled, it is often not cost effective compared to imported virgin material, and it still uses enormous amounts of resources, especially if shipped overseas (Environment and Communications References Committee, 2018). As a result, it is more important than ever to take responsibility for everything we put into the world, especially with its end of life in mind, and develop materials to that are biodegradable and compostable. As mycelium-based products are 100% compostable and will even add nutrients to the soil, (Ecovative Design, 2014), I think it is a field worth researching.
Left Figure 6. 3D Printed Mycelium Chair. Reprinted from Mycelium Chair by Eric Klarenbeek is 3D-printed with living fungus, by Dezeen, 2013, Retrieved from https://www.dezeen. com/2013/10/20/mycelium-chair-by-eric-klarenbeek-is-3d-printed-with-living-fungus/ Figure 7. Mushroom cultivation. Reprinted from A Simplified Overview of Mushroom Cultivation Strategies, by Paul Stamets, 1996, Retrieved from https://fungi.com/blogs/articles/a-simplified-overview-of-mushroom-cultivation-strategies
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What’s Been Done MycoComposite™ by Evocative MycoComposite is a 100% home compostable packaging alternative to synthetic foams like styrofoam developed by the Ecovative company (Ecovative Design, 2014). The composite is made by inoculating liquid mushroom mycelium that has been dried, into a substrate of agricultural waste such as hemp hurds, chopped up corn stalks and seed husks. The mycelium mixture is then dehydrated, placed into a plastic mould, as seen in figure 8 , where the mycelium binds the agricultural waste together to create a lightweight form (Manton, M 2015).
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Once the mycelium has consumed the substrate the design is then heat treated to stabilise the final shape and to stop the fungi from growing and flowering. Ecovative’s packaging has now gone mainstream with big companies like IKEA and other Fortune 500 companies starting to adopt its packaging for their products. (Redaktion, D, 2016) Ecovative also sells a ‘grow your own’ product where you can buy the dried mycelium and substrate material (annoyingly packaged in plastic as seen in Figure 10) and to mould and use however you wish!
Left Figure 8. Mould for MycoComposite™ material. Reprinted from Mushroom-based modelling kit allows users to grow their own designs, by Manton. M, 2015, Retrieved from https:// www.dezeen.com/2015/03/25/mushroom-materials-ecovative-modelling-kit-mycelium-designs-of-the-year-2015/ Above Figure 9. Breakaway corners. Reprinted from Breakaway Corners, by MushroomŽ Packaging, 2019, Retrieved from https://mushroompackaging.com/collections/mushroom-packaging/products/breakaway-corners-small Figure 9.
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Figure 10 and 11. GIY (Grow It Yourself ) example. Reprinted from MakerShed.com – Webstore to the Maker Community – Now Features Ecovative’s GIY (Grow It Yourself ) Mushroom® Material Kits, by Ecovative Admin, 2016, Retrieved from https://grow.bio/blogs/press-releases/makershed-com-webstoreto-the-maker-community-now-features-ecovative-s-giy-grow-it-yourself-mushroom-material-kits
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Ecovative also run a yearly competition called the Mycelium Design Contest to expand the potential uses for their composite material. The winners in 2019 were Jerome TavĂŠ and Kyle Lawson at 10th Floor Studios with their Room Divider Concept, as seen in figure 12. The concept explores the materials acoustic properties (GROW.bio, 2019). I found their project
insightful as they used a plywood mould rather than the plastic ones used by Danielle Trofe and Ecovative. To ensure the mycelium did not bind with the plywood mould (and to protect the inside of the mould), a thin layer of vinyl and a thin coating of paste wax was applied to the inside surfaces. (GROW. bio, 2019)
Above Figure 12. Room Divider Concept. Reprinted from GIY Maker Spotlight: Jerome TavĂŠ and Kyle Lawson, 2019, Retrieved from https://grow.bio/blogs/grow-bio-blog/giy-maker-spotlightjerome-tave-and-kyle-lawson
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Danielle Trofe The designer Danielle Trofe has partnered with Ecovative and used their Grow It Yourself material in her lampshade collections Glow Lamp and MushLume. Trofe simply re-hydrates the MycoComposite material by mixing through water, then pressing the wet composite
into a plastic mould that she has either 3D printed or cast, and then waits for the mycelium to work it’s magic. (PIX11 News, 2016). I love her designs as they are a simple and beautiful use of the GIY material; elevating it to a glamourous and desirable design product.
Left Figure 13. Mushlume Trumpet Pendant, Reprinted from Biofabricated Lighting, Danille Trofe, 2019, Retrieved from https://danielletrofe.com/the-work Above Figure 14. MushLume lighting collection. Reprinted from Danielle Trofe, by Danielle Trofe Design, 2019. Retrieved from https://danielletrofe.com/
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Mycelium Lamps by Nir Meiri Mycelium Lamps is a collaboration project between Nir Meiri Studio and BIOHM. The flat mycelium structure forms the shade part of the lamp which sits on top of a metal pole and stand. To make the shade, Mycelium spores are inserted into a mould that is filled with waste paper, which the mycelium consumes; forming a solid base with fungus growing on top. Once the fungus is removed and the mycelium dried, the stable form is then pressed to get the final flat smooth shape. (Nir Meiri, 2018) Nir Meiri also states that “mycelium consumes organic and synthetic waste”. The potential ability for mycelium to
consume synthetic materials like plastics is an exciting prospect, because, if developed this theory could change the way our waste streams work entirely as well as tackle the growing crisis of plastic waste. The ability for fungi to break down plastic is supported by a recent study published by the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. “fungus (Aspergillus tubingensis) [is] capable of breaking down plastics such as polyester polyurethane (used in a wide diversity of products such as refrigerator insulation and synthetic leather) in weeks rather than years.” (Willis, K. J, 2018)
Above Figure 15. Growing mycelium experiments. Reprinted from Mycelium lights, by NirMeiri Design Studio, 2018, Retrieved from https://www.nirmeiri.com/mycelium-lights Right Figure 16. Mycelium Lights. Reprinted from Mycelium lights, by NirMeiri Design Studio, 2018, Retrieved from https://www.nirmeiri.com/mycelium-lights
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Redhouse Architecture – Bioterials Redhouse architecture are researching ways to help solve the housing crisis in Cleveland by recycling the derelict buildings into new building materials using mycelium. The process involves breaking down waste building materials like wood into a pulp, and then adding mushroom mycelium to create any number of building materials, from boards and brick to structural insulating panels. (Dezeen, 2018) As seen in Figure 17 Redhouse tests have found that
the grown material has strengths comparable to hardwood and concrete. While the design itself is not inventive, I think the idea they have developed is. To turn derelict houses into new building material is a wonderfully circular and useful idea, especially when the materials strengths can compare to other building materials. The pulp from the old building could also be used to create any design, not just new building materials.
Above Figure 17. Processes and Performance, Reprinted from bioterials, by redhouse architecture, 2018, Retrieved from http://www.redhousearchitecture.org/mycoterials/ho115ljk2evokt0rihz8gv6jnoz78r Right Figure 18. Brick, Reprinted from bioterials, by redhouse architecture, 2018, Retrieved from http://www.redhousearchitecture.org/mycoterials/ho115ljk2evokt0rihz8gv6jnoz78r
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DIY Growers There are a growing number of people around the world sharing their own do it yourself test working with mycelium and growing mushrooms. While, like most of the academic research out there and the focus is on the mushrooms produced, you can still draw from their knowledge and their tests working with different substrates and growing environments. Many people recommend starting with Ecovative’s GIY (grow it yourself) product, which takes most of the steps out for you, and makes working with mycelium more accessible. (Woodfin, 2019) Then once you have a handle on the basics and ensuring the mycelium is happy in the conditions in your home you can move onto more involved tests.
One example of a DIY grower who highlighted how ‘low tech’ growing mycelium can be is Ashley Scarborough who shared her experiment on Instructables. (Scarborough, 2017). She successfully created a mycelium culture using only store-bought mushrooms, cardboard, water, a glass container and a bucket! The cardboard is soaked in water and then layered with finely cut up mushroom stems. The container is then sealed, and left is a dark place to grow. This method would eliminate the need for purchasing a grain spawn or creating your own mycelium culture.
Left Figure 19. Making Mycelium growth results. Reprinted from Making Mycelium, by Ashley Scarborough. Retrieved from https://www.instructables.com/id/Making-Mycelium/ Right Figure 20. Making Mycelium close up results. Reprinted from Making Mycelium, by Ashley Scarborough. Retrieved from https://www.instructables.com/id/Making-Mycelium/
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What next? I would like to take a closer look at the material properties of mycelium grown products and how these properties can change with different waste substrates. I will look at the two types of fungi species commonly used for mycelium based composites, Pleurotus (oyster mushroom) varieties and the Ganoderma Lingzhi (Reishi or Lingzhi Mushroom) varieties. There are so many varieties of mushrooms out there, and with a staggering 2189 new species described in 2017 alone (Willis, K. J. 2018), how do we know which varieties and substrates work best for this sort of production? The next step is then to conduct some material experiments, to source local waste materials as substrates and to begin the process of growing my own mycelium based composites!
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Substrates from waste The type of substrate and production method heavily impacts the final appearance, strength and density of the mycelium composite produced. Once the basics of what a family of fungi grow on is understood, there are so many viable substrate options that a designer is then able to choose from a wide variety of substrates, based on the aesthetic and desired mechanical properties. That being said, as the amount of research and experiments done in this field increase, so will the options of finishes and applications available for designers and makers. Most of the research done in this field focuses on the substrate effect of the yield of fruiting mushrooms, for example (Hoa, Wang, & Wang, 2015) and (Mehta, Jandaik, & Gupta, 2014) and the potential bioremediation uses (Matos, Bezerra, & Dias, 2007) rather than the mechanical and aesthetic qualities of the mycelium
composite. Though enough research has been done about the general needs of the mycekium understood, a designer can make an informed choice when deciding on a substrate that will work best for their design. Any mushroom variety will grow best on a substrate closest to the one it naturally grows on in nature. For growing mycelium based composites Saprotrophic fungi are the best candidates as this type of fungi feeds off and breaks down carbon (Assembling the Fungal Tree of Life Project, 2005) Within this category the white rot fungi is best suited to producing mycelium composites as they are able to break down both cellulose and lignin. Lignin is a complex polymer in the cell wall of many plants and makes them ridged and woody and is one of the hardest substances to break down in nature. (Sun, 2010) White rot mushrooms are one of the only organisms that can decompose it.
Left Figure 21. Mushroom Grain Spawn Ganoderma Steyaertanum Tasmainain Reishi. Credit Author.
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The most commonly used white rot fungi for mycelium composite production are the Pleurotus (oyster mushroom) varieties and the Ganoderma Lingzhi (Reishi or Lingzhi Mushroom) varieties. Both varieties naturally grow on hardwood, have fast growing and very strong mycelium hyphe (FreshCap Mushrooms, 2017) They are also able to break down a variety of
lignocellulosic substrates sourced from the waste streams from the agricultural, forest and food-processing industries. (Sรกnchez, 2010). With this in mind the options for substrates a designer can use really opens up. Sawdust, varieties of straw, cotton bi products, sugarcane bagasse, coffee grounds, and corncobs are just some of the many substrate options.
Figure 22. Pearl Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus Ostreatus). Reprinted from Mushroom, 2019, Retrieved from https://www.mushrooms.com/pearl-oyster-mushrooms
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Figure 23. Tasmanian Reishi (Ganoderma Steyaertanum). Reprinted from Queensland Mycological Society, 2012, Retrieved from http://qldfungi.org.au/fungi-id/fungi-keys/fungi-key-ganoderma
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Form, aesthetics and mechanical qualities of a mycelium composites The substrate a mycelium-based composite is grown on is one of the many factors that influence the final result. Haneef et al. (2017) found that the “addition of dextrose to the cellulose based substrate makes both fungal materials more elastic” as the added dextrose is easier for the fungi to break down. Appels et al. (2019) found that a finer substrate like sawdust has a smoother and more dense appearance than straw and cotton which has larger substrate particles, and T.multicolor grown on rapeseed straw had a soft velvety skin and an elastic foamlike appearance. Appels et al. (2019) also explored the effect of different substrates and mechanical properties of mycelium-based composites
with the focus on seeing if non-foam type of mycelium composite materials can be made. Appels et al. (2019) excitingly discovered that “heat pressing improves homogeneity, strength and stiffness of the materials shifting their performance from foam-like to cork- and wood-like” Figure 4 illustrates the how the density and Young’s Modulus of the heat pressed samples (TRH ●, PCH △, PRH ▲) enter the realm of natural materials in both strength density and appearance. The two heat press samples grown on Rapeseed straw had the results closest that of the natural materials in contrast to the heat pressed sample grown on cotton landing higher on the Young’s Modulus scale.
Figure 24. Materials resulting from growth of T. multicolor on sawdust (TBN) and straw with (TRH) or without (TRN) heat pressing and growth of P. ostreatus on cotton with heat pressing (PCH), cold pressing (PCC) and without pressing (PCN) and on straw with heat pressing (PRH), cold pressing (PRC) and without pressing (PRN). Reprinted from “Fabrication factors influencing mechanical, moisture- and water-related properties of mycelium-based composites,” by Appels, F. V., Camere, S., Montalti, M., Karana, E., Jansen, K. M., Dijksterhuis, J., ... & Wösten, H. A., 2019, Materials & Design, 161, 64-71.
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Heat pressing also influenced the final appearance, in both texture and colour. “In all cases, individual hyphae within the mycelium were less clearly visible after heat pressing probably due to gluing of hyphae and substrate together.” Making the hyphae less visible would also result in a smoother and more consistent texture finish. The colour of heat pressed samples ranged from white to brown as opposed to the white and cream non-pressed samples. “The browning
of the material is most likely caused by… reactions involving sugars and proteins present in the fungal cell walls and the plant material. Alternatively, it may be caused by caramelization of plant and fungal sugars or by pyrolysis of organic material.” The idea of heat pressing is an exciting new addition to the field of mycelium-based design and composite creation. It opens up many more options for products that require a structural element such as building materials.
Figure 25. Material family chart of the Young’s modulus (GPa) vs density (kg/m3). Non-, cold-, and heat-pressed materials form clusters within foam- (TRN, TBN, PRN, PCC, PRC), and natural-like materials (TRH, PCH, PRH). Reprinted from “Fabrication factors influencing mechanical, moisture- and water-related properties of mycelium-based composites,” by Appels, F. V., Camere, S., Montalti, M., Karana, E., Jansen, K. M., Dijksterhuis, J., ... & Wösten, H. A., 2019, Materials & Design, 161, 64-71.
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Substrate Options In the below sections I will be looking at substrates that are suitable for the Pleurotus (oyster mushroom) varieties and the Ganoderma Lingzhi (Reishi or Lingzhi Mushroom) varieties.
Hardwood Woodchip/Sawdust Hardwood is the most obvious material to use as it is the natural substrate for the white rot mushrooms in question. According to Freshcap Mushrooms (Freshcap Mushrooms, 2019) gourmet mushrooms do not grow well on softwoods, so it is important to make sure that any sawdust used is from a hardwood. They also recommend adding a nitrogen supplement such as bran to add more nutrients to the substrate. As I would be growing mushrooms for the mycelium composite rather than for the
fruiting bodies, I don’t think this would be as necessary. Coffee grounds could potentially be used as a supplement with the advantage of coming from a waste stream. Figure 5 highlights some of the best hardwood varieties for different mushrooms. Some possible waste stream sources for this substrate are offcuts from timber yards, sawdust from workshops and joinery studios, and discarded timber from the construction industry.
Mango Sawdust Mango sawdust was found by (Mehta, Jandaik, & Gupta, 2014) to be the most efficient producing larger and earlier yields. They
also note that the best grain spawn base was wheat bran rather than rice bran.
Above Figure 26. Tree species chart. Reprinted from Substrates, by Field & Forest, 2018, Retrieved from https://www.fieldforest.net/substrates.asp
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Coffee Grounds Coffee is made up of lignocellulosic Biomass. (Ballesteros, Teixeira, & Mussatto, 2014) As white rot mushrooms can degrade both lignin and cellulose, it can be supposed that coffee grounds become a great candidate for a substrate. What make it an even more attractive substrate candidate is the abundance of spent coffee grounds as a waste stream. (Machado, Rodriguez-
Jasso, Teixeira, & Mussatto, 2012). And not just in Melbourne. After petroleum, coffee is the second highest traded commodity worldwide. The Oyster mushroom would be the best mushroom variety for this substrate as it is fast growing and adaptable, (Field & Forest, 2018) but because of the lignocellulosic nature of coffee you could potentially grow any mushroom on it.
Straw and woody agricultural waste As study by (Jandaik, Singh, & Sharma, 2013) tested different substrates, four forestry by-products and three agricultural residues (paddy straw, wheat straw, and soybean waste), on the Ganoderma lucidum (Higher Basidiomycetes)and found that the agricultural substrates where more efficient for mushroom yeilds. Field & Forest, 2018 and (Mushroom Appreciation, 2019) recommend different straws and other agricultural waste like cereal straws such as wheat and rye and cottonseed hull. While not as woody as trees all these substrates have plenty of Lignin and Cellulose for the
fungi to feed off, especially fast growing fungi like Oyster Mushrooms. Many sources also recommend breaking the straw into 1-4cm pieces. Another potential candidate for a substrate in this category is sugarcane bagasse, which in one report was found to have comparable results for growing fungal cultures to that of cornmeal agar and dextrose sugar (Sidana, & Farooq, 2014). Sugarcare Bagasse was also found to be one of most suitable substrates for the cultivation of Oyster Mushrooms. (Hoa, Wang, & Wang, 2015).
Shreded Paper/Cardboard Shredded paper and cardboard where used by many small-scale DIY growers of mushrooms, especially the Oyster
Mushroom Varieties. Some interesting options were toilet paper rolls, shredded newspaper and carboard.
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Research Reflection There are still lots of gaps in the research, especially the lack of studies done on the strength and aesthetic qualities. Most of the findings in this report are from a limited number of scientific studies. But there are numerous DIY examples and ‘how to’ videos from various mushroom supply companies, there is plenty of information out there on what substrate to use. The gaps in the research that I would like to see filled is better documentation of the strength and morphologic properties of mycelium composites as well as suggested applications for any new findings.
Right Figure 27. Pleurotus Ostreatus PLE5462. © Alison Pouliot
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Informed by the research in this document I will now broaden my own design practice by conducting my own test with the Tasmanian Reishi. The following substrates I have chosen for many reasons, mainly compatibility with the fungi and access and abundance in the waste stream. The substrates I have chosen are Hardwood Sawdust from the RMIT workshops, Sugarcane Bagasse from juicer at Preston Markets, and a combination of Harwood Sawdust and Coffee grounds from my local café.
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Making - Where To Begin The natural next step in my research was to begin growing my own composites and test my research on substrates in practice. As the mycelium will usually take 2-3 weeks to colonise the substrate enough to mould into a shape, this report will only document setting up the first stages of the growing process. Collecting the substrate from waste streams, inoculating the substrate with grain spawn, and the beginning of the growing. These steps are drawn from my own research and follows the basic steps used by Myco-works (MycoWorks Media, 2016). Each substrate requires slightly different methods of preparation, but the basic method remains the same. Many mushroom growers recommend combining a variety of substrates together, a sort of ‘recipe’ to provide the enhanced nutrients and an enriched growing environment. This method is generally geared towards quicker and larger mushroom blooms. As I am trailing cultivations for a different purpose, to grow a new material, have decided to keep the substrates separate to clearly see which substrate is more suited to mycelium-based composites. I may combine substrates in future test depending on the results of this test.
Left Figure 28. Sugarcane Substrate day 1. Credit Author
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Basic Steps Collection & Pasteurisation The first step is to obtain the substrate. In this case I have collected substrate from the waste stream. Once collected it is vital to ensure that the substrates are pasteurised to avoid contamination of unwanted mould and bacteria.
Inoculation Add the ‘activated’ or woken up mycelium to the substrate. This can come in the form of mycelium straight from an agar culture or from grain spawn. The ratio will depend on the substrate and on the mycelium used.
Growing Leave the mycelium to grow around the substrate. This stage can take anywhere from 5 days to two weeks depending on many factors and conditions like substrate, type of mushroom, moisture levels, amount of spawn etc.
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Shaping Once the mycelium has colonised the majority of the substrate remove the mushroom mass from the container. Break it apart and press it into your desired mould. Leave for 1-3 days to fill out the mould.
Drying Remove the brick from the mould and allow it to strengthen and dry out a little. This will also allow the mycelium to properly colonise the parts of the mass that were pressed against the walls and received less light. Leave the brick to dry for about a week.
Sterilise and stabilise The final step in the process of making a mycelium composite is to heat the composite to kill to organism and ensure there is no more growth, and mushrooms do not bloom
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Research Activities Collection & Pasteurisation The substrates for this research activity, sugarcane bagasse, hardwood sawdust and coffee grounds, where all collected from waste streams around Melbourne. The Sugarcane was collected from a sugarcane stand at Preston markets. Such a large amount of sugarcane was used to make just one juice, so I can safely say this would be an abundant source if successful. I then blended the sugarcane to create a consistence size particle. The woody outside of the sugarcane, at this stage, I decided to discard as it was to tough to be easily cut and blended. With an industrial shredder or better tools I think would be able to incorporate this part of the sugarcane into the substrate in the future. The blended sugar cane then needed to be pasteurised. This was done by simply covering the material in 80 degree water and leaving for 1-2 hours as advised on Forest Fungi (2019)
The Hardwood sawdust I collected from a timber yard called Urban Salvage. In chatting to the team there they told me about a furniture store around the corner, West Wood, that create a huge amount of sawdust because off all the finishing they do on the handmade furniture. West Wood would also have less change of softwood contaminants, so in the future I would collect the waste from there.
Figure 29. Sugarcane stand at Preston Markets
Figure 30. Blending the sugarcane
Above Figure 39-30. Credit Author
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The coffee grounds I collected from my nearest cafĂŠ, who were more that happy to give the coffee grounds away. From less than one day they had much more waste than I need showing this would be another large source of good substrate. The coffee grounds have no need to be pasteurised again as they have already been pasteurised in the brewing process.
Figure 31. Hardwood Sawdust
Figure 32. Coffee Grounds
Figure 33. Pasteurising the Sugarcane Bagasse
Figure 34. Draining out excess liquid
Above Figure 31-34. Credit Author
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Inoculation The next step is to inoculate or add the mycelium to the substrate. The Mycelium I used was from the Australian Reishi in the form of grain spawn purchased from Aussie Mushroom Supplies. Grain spawn provides a stable environment for the mycelium to get
started before adding it the substrate. The team at Aussie Mushroom Supplies advised that I should add 5%-10% grain spawn to substrate by weight. I then added weighed the substrate in sterilised jars and added the grain spawn.
Figure 35. Australian Reishi Grain Spawn
Figure 36. Adding Grain Spawn to substrate by weight
Above and Right Figure 35-39. Credit Author
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Figure 37. Hardwood Sawdust day 1
Figure 38. Coffee Grounds Day 1
Figure 39. Sugarcane Bagasse day 1
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Growing After the test jars where set up and sealed I placed them in a bucket to keep the light low, but after some consideration and observing the light in that room I decided to move them to a darker location, in the cupboard. Every day or two I opened the jars for briefly to ensure there was fresh
oxygen for the mycelium and a build up of carbon dioxide can inhibit growth. The results were mixed but ultimately successful with mycelium colonising almost 80% of the small sugarcane jar. I will just need to wait and allow the mycelium time to grow for the other tests.
SUGARCANE After 10 days of growth, one of the sugar cane tests in the small jar showed exciting signs of growth! The large jar, had the beginnings of growth on the top.
Figure 40. Sugarcane growth tall jar day 10
Figure 41. Sugarcane growth short jar day 10
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Figure 42. Sugarcane growth short jar day 10
COFFEE GOUNDS After 4 days of growth there are no signs of the Mycelium growing yet. I suspect this was due to there not being enough water in the substrate. Online DIY growers recommended just adding the grain spawn straight to the coffee grounds, but they did not clarify how wet or dry they were to begin with.
Figure 43. Coffee Grounds growth day 4
SAWDUST After 4 days of growth there are not yet any signs of the mycelium colonising the substrate. This test may need more oxegyn or less water as bit of water has pooled at the bottom of the jar.
Figure 44. Sawdust growth day 4
Left and Above Figures 40-44. Credit Author
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Contribution to the design field and my own practice Working with mycelium-based composites is a relatively new design field. As a result, any new research and one more design mind working with this new material is a large step in the right direction, especially in the search for more sustainable products and materials. As sustainable materials go, mycelium-based composites tick all the boxes. They are grown around waste materials from essential industries, like the agricultural and construction industries, do not use a lot of water or energy in production and are completely compostable. My research, especially the test working with less commonly used waste materials like sugarcane bagasse, have not been widely done before with a design application in mind. Hopefully the conclusions I draw will grow the knowledge base around working with waste and mycelium so that others can work with it too and can build on my experience rather than starting from scratch. I believe this sharing of knowledge and information is essential to making more sustainable designs the norm. The more designers that use this material, share their knowledge and raise awareness about its huge benefits the better. This research project has also contributed to my own learning experience, providing me with exciting knowledge about a new sustainable material that I can now use in my own design practice. Previously I did not even know such a material existed! Now I will be able to consider it for every new brief with the confidence of knowing the materials strengths and constraints. The scariest part of using any new material is the first step, which I’ve now done! Next I will attempt to mould the substrate into a shape and dry it out to stabilise it. Once I have done a basic test I will explore more complex shapes and useful objects. Once I have a few success prototypes I also want to document and share this research online, so others have a clearer idea of where to start. The more people using this material the better! This project has also taught me the value of in-depth research around a topic, something which I have not done before. It was difficult to digest a lot of the scientific reports on this topic, but I think it is useful and readily sharing information.
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Conclusion Developing new sustainable materials is essential in the current climate crisis, and mycelium-based composites promise an exciting opportunity in this area, especially with their incorporation of waste. The potential of this material is evident in the work that has already been done by designers and companies like Ecovative, Nir Meiri and Redhouse Architecture, but a lot more research and exploration is yet to be done. While there is a large discourse around the growing of mushrooms for edible purposes, everything from DIY instructions to in depth scientific reports, there is not the same depth of knowledge around the making of mycelium-based composites. What is evident from the research that has been done is that different substrates and processing methods have great impact on the morphology, density, and strength of the mycelium composite you end up with. This research is a great first step to making my own mycelium-based products and I look forward moulding and shaping them in useful products in the future.
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Table of Figures Figure 1. Mycelium FMY7743 Pg. 1 Figure 2. MycoComposite Pg. 2 Figure 3. Mycelium RH Pg. 5 Figure 4. Flowering Oyster Mushroom Pg. 6 Figure 5. Hyphal Growth. Pg. 7 Figure 6. 3D Printed Mycelium Chair Pg. 8 Figure 7. Mushroom cultivation Pg. 9 Figure 8. Mould for MycoComposite™ material. Pg. 10 Figure 9. Breakaway corners. Pg. 11 Figure 10. GIY (Grow It Yourself ) example Pg. 12 Figure 11. GIY (Grow It Yourself ) example Pg. 12 Figure 12. Room Divider Concept. Pg. 13 Figure 13. Mushlume Trumpet Pendant. Pg. 14 Figure 14. MushLume lighting collection. Pg. 15 Figure 15. Growing mycelium experiments. Pg. 16 Figure 16. Mycelium Lights. Pg. 17 Figure 17. Processes and Performance. Pg. 18 Figure 18. Brick. Pg. 19 Figure 19. Making Mycelium growth results. Pg. 20 Figure 20. Making Mycelium close up results. Pg. 20 Figure 21. Mushroom Grain Spawn Ganoderma Steyaertanum Tasmainain Reishi. Pg. 22 Figure 22. Pearl Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus Ostreatus). Pg. 24 Figure 23. Tasmanian Reishi (Ganoderma Steyaertanum). Pg. 25 Figure 24. Materials resulting from growth of T. multicolor on sawdust (TBN) and straw with (TRH) or without (TRN) heat pressing and growth of P. ostreatus on cotton with heat pressing (PCH), cold pressing (PCC) and without pressing (PCN) and on straw with heat pressing (PRH), cold pressing (PRC) and without pressing (PRN). Pg.26 Figure 25. Material family chart of the Young’s modulus (GPa) vs density (kg/m3). Non-, cold-, and heat-pressed materials form clusters within foam- (TRN, TBN, PRN, PCC, PRC), and natural-like materials (TRH, PCH, PRH). Pg. 27 Figure 26. Tree species chart. Pg. 28 Figure 27. Pleurotus Ostreatus PLE5462. Pg. 31 Figure 28. Sugarcane Substrate day 1. Pg. 32 Figure 29. Sugarcane stand at Preston Markets Pg. 36 Figure 30. Blending the sugarcane Pg. 36
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Figure 31. Hardwood Sawdust Pg. 37 Figure 32. Coffee Grounds Pg. 37 Figure 33. Pasteurising the Sugarcane Bagasse Pg. 37 Figure 34. Draining out excess liquid Pg. 37 Figure 35. Australian Reishi Grain Spawn Pg. 38 Figure 36. Adding Grain Spawn to substrate by weight Pg. 38 Figure 37. Hardwood Sawdust day 1 Pg. 39 Figure 38. Coffee Grounds Day 1 Pg. 39 Figure 39. Sugarcane Bagasse day 1 Pg. 39 Figure 40. Sugarcane growth tall jar day 10 Pg. 40 Figure 41. Sugarcane growth short jar day 10 Pg. 40 Figure 42. Sugarcane growth short jar day 10 Pg. 40 Figure 43. Coffee Grounds growth day 4 Pg. 41 Figure 44. Sawdust growth day 4 Pg. 41
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