阅读说明：本技术 包括菌丝及包埋材料的真菌复合材料 (Fungal composite comprising hyphae and embedding material ) 是由 J.蔡斯 N.温纳 P.罗斯 W.莫里斯 于 2019-06-26 设计创作，主要内容包括：具有工程化的(engineered)和/或改善的机械性能,例如,撕裂强度、抗张强度和抗分离性的柔性真菌复合材料(fungal composite)。所述真菌复合材料通过将第二种材料包埋在真菌基质(fungal matrix)中产生。所述真菌复合材料的撕裂强度大于所述真菌基质的撕裂强度。所述真菌复合材料的抗张强度至少等于所述包埋材料的抗张强度。并且所述真菌基质和所述包埋材料之间的抗分层性使得将所述真菌基质和所述包埋材料彼此分离所需的力大于或等于将所述真菌基质或所述包埋材料与其自身分离所需的力。(Flexible fungal composites (fungal composites) with engineered and/or improved mechanical properties, e.g., tear strength, tensile strength and separation resistance. The fungal composite is produced by embedding a second material in a fungal matrix. The tear strength of the fungal composite is greater than the tear strength of the fungal matrix. The tensile strength of the fungal composite is at least equal to the tensile strength of the embedding material. And the delamination resistance between the fungal matrix and the embedding material is such that the force required to separate the fungal matrix and the embedding material from each other is greater than or equal to the force required to separate the fungal matrix or the embedding material from itself.)

1. A composite material (composite) comprising:

a) a fungal substrate (matrix) having a set of fungal substrate mechanical properties; and

b) an embedding material, said embedding material being located within said fungal matrix, said combination constituting a fungal composite, and said embedding material having a set of embedding material mechanical properties;

c) whereby the fungal composite exhibits a set of fungal composite mechanical properties that are superior to the fungal matrix mechanical properties alone or the embedding material mechanical properties alone, and wherein the mechanical properties include tear strength, tensile strength, flexural strength (flexural strength), separation resistance, and delamination resistance; and is

d) Wherein the elongation (elongation) of the composite material falls numerically or quantitatively between the elongation of the mycelium substrate alone and the elongation of the embedding material alone.

2. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the embedding material is one of: cotton, silk, wool, rayon, nylon, polyester (polyester), polyamide (polyamide), viscose (viscose) or cellulose.

3. The composite of claim 1, wherein the composite exhibits isotropic properties (isotropic property), anisotropic properties (anistropic property), orthotropic properties (orthotropic property), or a combination thereof in critical or specific regions.

4. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises an engineered construction or layout of embedding materials such that the composite material exhibits specific engineered properties in preselected regions (areas, regions, zones) of the composite material when considered in their entirety.

5. The composite of claim 1, wherein the composite comprises equal, and symmetrical properties throughout the composite when considered in its entirety.

6. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises a plurality of regions, wherein each region has a different characteristic due to a different build-up of embedding material in each region.

7. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the embedding material is integrated in a liquid phase or a liquid state.

8. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the embedding material is added in a liquid phase and chemically reacted to produce a viscous (viscous), semi-viscous (semi-viscous) or solid phase of the embedding material or to produce a chemically reacted complex (complex) derived from the original embedding material.

9. The composite material of claim 1, wherein the fungal substrate is a mycelium substrate.

10. A composite material, comprising:

a) a fungal substrate; and

b) an embedding material selected from the group consisting of: cotton, silk, polyester, wool, rayon (rayon), viscose or cellulose, wherein the embedding material is embedded within the fungal matrix, the combination constituting a fungal composite;

wherein the tear strength of the fungal composite is greater than the tear strength of the fungal matrix;

wherein the tensile strength of the fungal composite is greater than the tensile strength of the embedding material; and is

Wherein the delamination resistance between the fungal matrix and the embedding material is such that the force required to separate the fungal matrix and the embedding material from each other is greater than or equal to the force required to separate the fungal matrix or the embedding material from itself.

11. The composite of claim 10, wherein the tear strength of the fungal composite is greater than or equal to the tear strength of the fungal matrix.

12. The composite material of claim 10, wherein the tensile strength of the fungal composite is greater than or equal to the tensile strength of the embedding material.

13. The composite material of claim 10, wherein the resistance to delamination between the fungal matrix and the embedding material is such that the force required to separate the fungal matrix and the embedding material from each other is greater than the force required to separate the fungal matrix or the embedding material from itself.

14. The composite material of claim 10, wherein the fungal substrate is a mycelium substrate.

15. The composite material of claim 10, wherein the mechanical properties are selected from the group consisting of: tear strength, tensile strength, flexural strength, elongation, separation resistance, or delamination resistance.

16. The composite material of claim 10, wherein the improved strength is achieved by physically and chemically linking (linking) the fungal matrix with the embedding material by methods including, but not limited to: chain entanglement (chain entanglement), infiltration of fungal hyphae (hyphe) into the embedding material, adhesion (attachment) of fungal hyphae surface onto the embedding material surface, colonization (coagulation) of the embedding material by hyphal networks (hyphal networks), and/or integration (cohesion) of the hyphal networks into the embedding material by growth phenomena related to the metabolic processes of the hyphae in the nutrient substrate (nutritional substrata).

17. A composite material, comprising:

a) a fungal substrate; and

b) an embedding material located within the fungal matrix, the combination constituting a fungal composite;

wherein the tear strength of the fungal composite is greater than or equal to the tear strength of the fungal matrix;

wherein the tensile strength of the fungal composite is greater than or equal to the tensile strength of the embedding material; and is

Wherein the delamination resistance between the fungal matrix and the embedding material is such that the force required to separate the fungal matrix and the embedding material from each other is greater than the force required to separate the fungal matrix or the embedding material from itself.

18. The composite material of claim 17, wherein the embedding material is one of: cotton, silk, wool, rayon, nylon, polyester, polyamide, viscose or cellulose.

19. The composite material of claim 17, wherein the elongation of the composite material falls numerically or quantitatively between the elongation of the mycelium substrate alone and the embedding material alone.

20. The composite material of claim 17, wherein the composite material comprises a plurality of regions, wherein each region has a different characteristic due to a different build-up of embedding material in each region.

21. The composite material of claim 17, wherein the tear strength and tensile strength of the fungal composite is greater than the tear strength of the fungal matrix.

Technical Field

The present embodiments relate generally to fungal composites (composites), and more particularly, to a fungal composite exhibiting enhanced performance with engineered symmetry, isotropy (isotropy) and anisotropy (anisotpy), and localized regions of differing characteristics.

Background

Biocomposite materials (Bio-composite materials) are widely used in the construction, automotive industry, biomedical engineering, and various other engineering applications. The main components of biocomposites are biopolymers (biopolymers) and bio-based reinforcing agents (bio-based reinforing agents). Biocomposites have certain advantages over petroleum-based products because of their improved fuel efficiency, environmental friendliness, renewability, biodegradability, and low cost.

Mycelium (mycelium) makes possible the nascent (nascent) biocomposite family. Mycelium is a nutrient component of fungi or fungal colonies and is commonly used as a bio-based, renewable (renewable) and biodegradable matrix in a variety of biocomposites. The mycelium-based biocomposites can be easily obtained by inoculating agricultural wastes. This method is commonly used for growing fungal fruiting bodies (mushrooms) for general human consumption, for cooking purposes and for other industrial purposes. In most commercial situations, biocomposites produced by inoculation and colonization (colonization) of agricultural waste with fungal mycelia are only by-products of non-engineered customized materials.

The process of colonization is a phenomenon of fungal colony growth whereby the mycelial network penetrates and penetrates every particle of its nutrient medium (agricultural waste). When the mycelium wraps around its food, it forms new links with it to promote its metabolic processes and thus break down the food source on which it lives. The amount of energy that the mycelium can absorb into the food is proportional to the amount of medium that comes into contact with and adheres to it.

Adhesion is a key property of the mycelium that allows it to adhere to any other material with which it comes into contact by extending its most fundamental morphological component (hyphae). Hyphae (hyphae) are discrete units of a mycelium network (e.g., arms (arm), branches, etc.). Each hyphae may emit enzymes that lead to food metabolism or defense against foreign biological or chemical substances. From a macroscopic point of view, the mycelial mass is a network of hyphae that appears as a fluffy, soft, spongy mass. From a microscopic perspective, vegetative mycelia, which comprise a majority of individual fungal colonies, also comprise a network of branched filamentous mycelia. This hyphal network grows and multiplies by self-extension from any given strand, and by branching, splitting and religation on any substrate or medium that inoculates the hyphae.

As shown in fig. 1A, which shows a macroscopic view of a prior art existing mycelium pellet. FIG. 1B shows a microscopic view of a small area of the mycelial mass shown in prior art FIG. 1A, with white horizontal lines shown to be 100 μm in length. Wherein the hyphal network can be clearly distinguished. Each filament constitutes an individual hypha. FIGS. 1A and 1B show the adhesion, interconnectivity and morphological properties of mycelium, which may constitute a component of a fungal composite.

In nature, fungal colonies will be expanded by the growth of their hyphae in a volume of soil in a dead tree, or even into free space at the interface of a solid medium and the surrounding environment. The diameter of the individual hyphae is small enough that they can spread into microscopic interstitial spaces while remaining invisible to the naked eye. If there are two hyphae, the discrete hyphae masses are contacted. The mycelium then diffuses therein and effectively binds them together. Fungal mycelium is able to feed itself perfectly (self-cannibalising), which can lead to a strong adhesion between adjacent mycelial masses. This self-adhesive or cohesive property of the mycelium enables the fungal tissue to produce biocomposites suitable for forming different hardness and solid configurations (configurations).

Several methods have been developed to produce fungal-based biocomposites. One of the methods describes a mechanism for culturing filamentous fungi, which is specifically designed for the production of materials and composites consisting partially or wholly of hyphae and aggregates thereof. The composite material is prepared by inoculating a matrix of discrete particles and the nutritive material with a preselected fungus. Even so, this approach complicates the method and hardware. The state of the art of this process also produces rigid objects that exhibit almost zero flexibility and limited strength and elongation.

Another method describes an activated hydrated mycelium composite comprising at least one of mycelium and fiber, mycelium and particle, and a combination of mycelium, particle and fiber. The active mycelium composite is dehydrated and then rapidly reformed into many different shapes, such as bricks, blocks and pellets. However, the resulting mycelium composite exhibits low flexibility and high brittleness.

Yet another method describes steps for culturing a fungal polymer matrix consisting essentially of fungal tissue. The resulting material is a flexible and soft amorphous (amorphus) polymer with high density that can be used in applications currently provided by synthetic plastics and foams, and in certain cases where animal skin is deployed. This method for creating fungal polymer matrices is expensive and the means for producing the material has a high impact on the environment. Biocomposites based on this technology are of little or no utility as materials that require tensile and tear strength to compete with textile and animal leather. In addition, this technique requires long manufacturing and post-processing, which is not compatible with mass production.

In each case of the described related art, biocomposites are formed only between fungal organisms (mycelial clusters), other fungal tissues, and/or the food supply of fungal organisms. The interaction between an organism and its food can be generally referred to as fermentation: the substance is converted from one form to another by the active organism. In each of the foregoing cases, agricultural waste is converted from its original form to mycelium by a process in which the mycelium grows and produces more itself.

Thus, there is a need for a mycelium-based biocomposite material that integrates a mycelium substrate with a secondary material other than its primary nutrient medium. Similarly, there is a need for an efficient and reliable method to generate fungal composites with high self-adhesive properties and enhanced and engineered mechanical properties. This desired process would utilize simple technology and hardware to produce improved fungal composites. Furthermore, the fungal composite so produced will exhibit high flexibility and high tensile strength. In addition, such a method for producing an improved fungal composite would be cost effective and have little environmental impact. Embodiments of the present invention achieve these and other objectives.

Summary of The Invention

To minimize the limitations found in the prior art and to minimize other limitations that will become apparent upon reading the present specification, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a fungal composite (composite) having improved strength, flexibility, flex life, elongation, adhesion, cohesion, separation resistance, color fastness, abrasion, and softness. Further, the fungal composite may be engineered (engineered) to exhibit complete isotropy (isotropy), a preselected degree of both isotropy and anisotropy (anisotropy), complete orthotropic (orthotropic), or a combination thereof. Finally, the fungal composite may include localized regions (zones) that exhibit different properties relative to the overall properties of the entire composite.

In a preferred embodiment, the fungal composite comprises a fungal matrix and an embedded material (embedded material) adapted to be embedded within the fungal matrix (matrix) to produce the fungal composite. The tear strength of the fungal composite is greater than the tear strength of the fungal matrix. The tensile strength of the fungal composite is at least equal to the tensile strength of the embedding material or greater than the tensile strength of either material alone. A delamination resistance may be implemented between the fungal matrix and the embedding material such that a force required to separate the fungal matrix and the embedding material from each other is greater than or equal to a force required to separate the fungal matrix and the embedding material from themselves.

Preferably, the fungal substrate is a mycelium substrate. The fungal composite achieves improved strength by space-filling (spacing-filling) the fungal matrix into the embedding material and physically and chemically linking (linking) the fungal matrix and the embedding material by various methods. The embedding material includes, but is not limited to, cotton (cotton), silk, wool (wool), polyester (polyester), polyamide (polyamide), or other materials, including synthetic (e.g., plastic), semi-synthetic (e.g., rayon (rayon) or viscose (viscose)), and natural or organic materials (e.g., cellulose). The embedding materials can be individually listed in the above list or in any combination. It may be of any construction, including but not limited to knitted (knit) or woven (woven), felted (felt), open-cell foam (used alone or in any combination) construction, and thus may be a solid or liquid phase when embedded and integrated with the fungal matrix. Materials and structures other than the embedding material may also be embedded within the fungal matrix.

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a fungal composite having improved mechanical properties which are engineered, controlled and of greater commercial value than either of the two combined materials alone.

It is a second object of the present invention to provide a fungal composite having improved tear strength, tensile strength, delamination resistance, flexibility, flex life, color fastness, abrasion resistance and softness.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a fungal composite having high self-adhesive properties, adhesion, cohesion, separation resistance and delamination resistance.

It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a fungal composite having a greater degree of tensile or elongation capability than either of the individual materials in any combination.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fungal composite that utilizes cost effective methods and hardware.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fungal composite that has a low impact on the environment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fungal composite having high tack-tear (tack-tear) strength.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fungal composite having the ability to be configured into the following configuration: animal-free, petroleum-free, and plastic-free, plant-based configurations, or other configurations comparable to pure vegetarian, organic, and the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fungal composite that biodegrades more quickly than other mechanically equivalent materials.

These and other advantages and features of the invention are described in detail so that the invention will be understood by those skilled in the art.