Biodegradable materials are the future, but they often come at a cost—either they degrade well but lack durability, or they require chemical processing that compromises sustainability.
Now, researchers at Empa’s Cellulose and Wood Materials laboratory have entirely bypassed that dilemma.
Their secret? A material that’s not just biodegradable—it’s alive.
The researchers developed a new biomaterial using mycelium, the root-like structure of the split-gill mushroom, an edible fungus that thrives on dead wood. While fungal mycelium has already been explored for sustainable materials, the Empa team took a different approach. Instead of purifying and chemically treating the fibers, they kept the fungal network and the extracellular matrix it naturally produces.
This matrix, made of proteins and fiber-like macromolecules, provides unique advantages.
“Nature has already optimized the system—we just let it do its job,” explains Empa researcher Ashutosh Sinha.
The researchers created a material with remarkable properties by selecting a strain of the split-gill mushroom that produces unusually high amounts of schizophyllan, a long-chain polysaccharide, and hydrophobin, a protein that stabilizes liquid mixtures.
The result is tear-resistant yet flexible, able to form thin films, stabilize emulsions, and even act as a biodegradable sensor for moisture detection.
The researchers demonstrated two potential applications:
- A Plastic-Like Film – Strong yet completely biodegradable, offering sustainable alternatives to packaging.
- A Self-Stabilizing Emulsion is a liquid mixture that becomes more stable over time, ideal for cosmetics, paints, and food.
Since the split-gill mushroom is edible, the material could be safe for food-related uses.
Beyond naturally breaking down, the fungal material could actively decompose waste. Sinha suggests a radical idea: fungi-powered bags could break down organic waste from the inside out instead of conventional compostable plastic bags.
The team is also investigating its electronic potential, integrating it with fungal biobatteries to create living paper batteries. These biodegradable power sources could offer a greener alternative to standard electronics if successful.
The researchers aim to refine the material further, testing its adaptability across various industries—from sustainable packaging to bio-electronics. They’re even considering ancient fungal fossils to trace how nature developed such efficient structural systems over time.
Journal Reference:
- Ashutosh Sinha, Luiz G. Greca, Nico Kummer, Ciatta Wobill, Carolina Reyes, Peter Fischer, Silvia Campioni, Gustav Nyström. Living Fiber Dispersions from Mycelium as a New Sustainable Platform for Advanced Materials. Advanced Materials. DOI: 10.1002/adma.202418464
