Author:
Olivero Eric,Gawronska Elzbieta,Manimuda Praveena,Jivani Devyani,Chaggan Faemia Zullfikar,Corey Zachary,de Almeida Thaicia Stona,Kaplan-Bie Jessica,McIntyre Gavin,Wodo Olga,Nalam Prathima C.
Abstract
AbstractGradient porous structures (GPS) are characterized by structural variations along a specific direction, leading to enhanced mechanical and functional properties compared to homogeneous structures. This study explores the potential of mycelium, the root part of a fungus, as a biomaterial for generating GPS. During the intentional growth of mycelium, the filamentous network undergoes structural changes as the hyphae grow away from the feed substrate. Through microstructural analysis of sections obtained from the mycelium tissue, systematic variations in fiber characteristics (such as fiber radii distribution, crosslink density, network density, segment length) and pore characteristics (including pore size, number, porosity) are observed. Furthermore, the mesoscale mechanical moduli of the mycelium networks exhibit a gradual variation in local elastic modulus, with a significant change of approximately 50% across a 30 mm thick mycelium tissue. The structure-property analysis reveals a direct correlation between the local mechanical moduli and the network crosslink density of the mycelium. This study presents the potential of controlling growth conditions to generate mycelium-based GPS with desired functional properties. This approach, which is both sustainable and economically viable, expands the applications of mycelium-based GPS to include filtration membranes, bio-scaffolds, tissue regeneration platforms, and more.
Funder
Center for Materials Informatics
National Science Foundation
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Cited by
4 articles.
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