Fungi Could Hold the Key to Sustainable Fire Insulation

Fungi May Hold the Key to Sustainable Fire Protection Mycelium, a fine fungal network that grows on organic waste and in darkness, could form the basis for sustainable fire insulation. Researchers at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) are chemically manipulating the composition of this network to harness its fire-retardant properties. The relevant study, titled "Fireproofing flammable composites using mycelium: Investigating the effect of deacetylation on the thermal stability and fire reaction properties of mycelium," was published in the journal Polymer Degradation and Stability. This work builds on preliminary research previously published by experts in the journals Polymer Degradation and Stability and Scientific Reports. Associate Professor Tien Huynh, a biotechnology and mycology specialist, stated that they have demonstrated mycelium can be grown from renewable organic waste. Huynh from the Faculty of Science said, "Fungi are typically found in composite form mixed with residual feed material, but we have found a way to grow pure mycelium layers that can be layered and designed for different applications, from flat panels for the construction industry to leather-like material for the fashion industry." A new method for creating paper-thin mycelium layers works without needing to grind the fungal filament network into powder. Instead, researchers used different growth conditions and chemicals for the first time in this field to create thin, individual and resilient material. Researchers have focused on developing bio-derived, fire-retardant coatings for buildings to prevent tragedies such as the Grenfell Tower fire, where a fatal fire was accelerated by a highly flammable coating component. Associate Professor Everson Kandare, co-author of the paper and an expert in the flammability and thermal properties of biomaterials, said mycelium has strong potential as a fireproof material. "The best thing about mycelium is that when exposed to fire or radiant heat, it forms a thermal protective char layer. The longer and at higher temperatures the mycelium char survives, the better its use as a fireproof material becomes." Kandare noted that beyond being effective, mycelium-based coatings can be produced from renewable organic waste and do not harm the environment when burned. Where composite coating panels are used, they typically contain plastics that produce toxic fumes and dense smoke when burned. "Fire retardants containing bromine, iodine, phosphorus and nitrogen are effective, but they have negative health and environmental impacts. Carcinogens and neurotoxins that can escape from the environment and persist in it harm plant and animal life, raising health and environmental concerns. Bio-derived mycelium naturally produces water and carbon dioxide." This research could ultimately lead to the development of environmentally friendly coatings for buildings. Huynh stated, "Plastic production is fast and easy, whereas mushroom growth is slow and scaling production is relatively more difficult. However, the mushroom industry has approached us about using waste products combined with mushrooms. Collaborating with the mushroom industry would eliminate the need for new farms while producing products that meet fire safety needs in a sustainable manner." Researchers are now aiming to create fungal mats reinforced with engineered fibers to delay ignition, reduce flame intensity and improve fire safety ratings.     Academic Reference: Nattanan Chulikavit et al, Fireproofing flammable composites using mycelium: Investigating the effect of deacetylation on the thermal stability and fire reaction properties of mycelium, Polymer Degradation and Stability (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j. polymdegradstab.2023.110419 Nattanan Chulikavit et al, Influence of growth rates, microstructural properties and biochemical composition on the thermal stability of mycelia fungi, Scientific Reports (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19458-0   Source