Growth Propagation of Liquid Spawn on Non-Woven Hemp Mats to Inform Digital Biofabrication of Mycelium-Based Composites
Mycelium-based composites (MBCs) are highly valued for their ability to transform low-value organic materials into sustainable building materials, offering significant potential for decarbonizing the construction sector. The properties of MBCs are influenced by factors such as the mycelium species,...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Andreas Biront Mart Sillen Patrick Van Dijck Jan Wurm |
| author_facet | Andreas Biront Mart Sillen Patrick Van Dijck Jan Wurm |
| author_sort | Andreas Biront |
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| description | Mycelium-based composites (MBCs) are highly valued for their ability to transform low-value organic materials into sustainable building materials, offering significant potential for decarbonizing the construction sector. The properties of MBCs are influenced by factors such as the mycelium species, substrate materials, fabrication growth parameters, and post-processing. Traditional fabrication methods involve combining grain spawn with loose substrates in a mold to achieve specific single functional properties, such as strength, acoustic absorption, or thermal insulation. However, recent advancements have focused on digital biofabrication to optimize MBC properties and expand their application scope. Despite these developments, existing research predominantly explores the use of grain spawn inoculation, with little focus on liquid spawn. Liquid spawn, however, holds significant potential, particularly in digital biofabrication, due to its ease of deposition and greater precision compared with grains. This paper, part of a digital biofabrication framework, investigates the growth kinetics of <i>Ganoderma lucidum</i> and <i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i> on hemp non-woven mats, offering flexibility and mold-free fabrication using liquid inoculation. By integrating mycelium growth kinetics into digital biofabricated materials, researchers can develop more sustainable, efficient, and specialized solutions using fewer resources, enhancing the adaptability and functionality of MBCs. The experiment involved pre-cultivating <i>P. ostreatus</i> and <i>G. lucidum</i> in yeast peptone dextrose (YPD) and complete yeast media (CYM) under static (ST) and shaking (SH) conditions. Four dilutions (1:10, 1:2, 1:1, and 2:1) were prepared and analyzed through imagery to assess growth kinetics. Results showed that lower dilutions promoted faster growth with full coverage, while higher dilutions offered slower growth with partial coverage. SH conditions resulted in slightly higher coverage and faster growth. To optimize the control of material properties within the digital biofabrication system, it is recommended to use CYM ST for <i>P. ostreatus</i> and YPD SH for <i>G. lucidum</i>, as their growth curves show clear separation between dilutions, reflecting distinct growth efficiencies and speeds that can be selected for desired outcomes. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| series | Biomimetics |
| spelling | doaj-art-30907aacb08c4e5d9353ed3855e4d1512025-01-24T13:24:40ZengMDPI AGBiomimetics2313-76732025-01-011013310.3390/biomimetics10010033Growth Propagation of Liquid Spawn on Non-Woven Hemp Mats to Inform Digital Biofabrication of Mycelium-Based CompositesAndreas Biront0Mart Sillen1Patrick Van Dijck2Jan Wurm3Research Group Architectural Engineering, Department of Architecture, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumLaboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumLaboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumResearch Group Architectural Engineering, Department of Architecture, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumMycelium-based composites (MBCs) are highly valued for their ability to transform low-value organic materials into sustainable building materials, offering significant potential for decarbonizing the construction sector. The properties of MBCs are influenced by factors such as the mycelium species, substrate materials, fabrication growth parameters, and post-processing. Traditional fabrication methods involve combining grain spawn with loose substrates in a mold to achieve specific single functional properties, such as strength, acoustic absorption, or thermal insulation. However, recent advancements have focused on digital biofabrication to optimize MBC properties and expand their application scope. Despite these developments, existing research predominantly explores the use of grain spawn inoculation, with little focus on liquid spawn. Liquid spawn, however, holds significant potential, particularly in digital biofabrication, due to its ease of deposition and greater precision compared with grains. This paper, part of a digital biofabrication framework, investigates the growth kinetics of <i>Ganoderma lucidum</i> and <i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i> on hemp non-woven mats, offering flexibility and mold-free fabrication using liquid inoculation. By integrating mycelium growth kinetics into digital biofabricated materials, researchers can develop more sustainable, efficient, and specialized solutions using fewer resources, enhancing the adaptability and functionality of MBCs. The experiment involved pre-cultivating <i>P. ostreatus</i> and <i>G. lucidum</i> in yeast peptone dextrose (YPD) and complete yeast media (CYM) under static (ST) and shaking (SH) conditions. Four dilutions (1:10, 1:2, 1:1, and 2:1) were prepared and analyzed through imagery to assess growth kinetics. Results showed that lower dilutions promoted faster growth with full coverage, while higher dilutions offered slower growth with partial coverage. SH conditions resulted in slightly higher coverage and faster growth. To optimize the control of material properties within the digital biofabrication system, it is recommended to use CYM ST for <i>P. ostreatus</i> and YPD SH for <i>G. lucidum</i>, as their growth curves show clear separation between dilutions, reflecting distinct growth efficiencies and speeds that can be selected for desired outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/1/33mycelium-based compositesnon-woven matshemp substratedigital biofabricationgrowth characteristicsmanufacturing variables |
| spellingShingle | Andreas Biront Mart Sillen Patrick Van Dijck Jan Wurm Growth Propagation of Liquid Spawn on Non-Woven Hemp Mats to Inform Digital Biofabrication of Mycelium-Based Composites Biomimetics mycelium-based composites non-woven mats hemp substrate digital biofabrication growth characteristics manufacturing variables |
| title | Growth Propagation of Liquid Spawn on Non-Woven Hemp Mats to Inform Digital Biofabrication of Mycelium-Based Composites |
| title_full | Growth Propagation of Liquid Spawn on Non-Woven Hemp Mats to Inform Digital Biofabrication of Mycelium-Based Composites |
| title_fullStr | Growth Propagation of Liquid Spawn on Non-Woven Hemp Mats to Inform Digital Biofabrication of Mycelium-Based Composites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Growth Propagation of Liquid Spawn on Non-Woven Hemp Mats to Inform Digital Biofabrication of Mycelium-Based Composites |
| title_short | Growth Propagation of Liquid Spawn on Non-Woven Hemp Mats to Inform Digital Biofabrication of Mycelium-Based Composites |
| title_sort | growth propagation of liquid spawn on non woven hemp mats to inform digital biofabrication of mycelium based composites |
| topic | mycelium-based composites non-woven mats hemp substrate digital biofabrication growth characteristics manufacturing variables |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/1/33 |
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