Sustainable Pultruded Sandwich Profiles with Mycelium Core

Abstract

This research focuses on exploring the potential of mycelium as a sustainable alternative to wood or solid foam in pultruded glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) sandwich profiles. The study evaluates the performance and the environmental sustainability potential of this composite by mechanical tests and life cycle assessment (LCA). Analysis and comparison of pultruded sandwich profiles with mycelium, polyurethane (PUR) foam and chipboard demonstrate that mycelium is competitive in terms of its performance and environmental impact. The LCA indicates that 88% of greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to mycelium production, with the heat pressing (laboratory scale) being the main culprit. When pultruded profiles with mycelium cores of densities 350 and 550 kg/m³ are produced using an oil-heated lab press, a global warming potential (GWP) of 5.74 and 9.10 kg CO2-eq. per functional unit was calculated, respectively. When using an electrically heated press, the GWP decreases to 1.50 and 1.78 kg CO2-eq. Compared to PUR foam, a reduction of 23% in GWP is possible. In order to leverage this potential, the material performance and the reproducibility of the properties must be further increased. Additionally, an adjustment of the manufacturing process with in situ mycelium deactivation during pultrusion could further reduce the energy consumption.