Mushroom Materials 80x Cheaper Than Cement, Binghamton Study Shows

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Scientists at Binghamton University have discovered how mushroom filaments could revolutionize materials used in construction and aerospace.

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What makes mushrooms so special? Their microscopic filaments, called hyphae, create networks that provide remarkable strength despite being incredibly lightweight.

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The research team compared two mushroom species: common white button mushrooms with one type of hyphal filament and maitake mushrooms with two types that grow in specific directions.

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Using advanced scanning electron microscopy, researchers analyzed how these different hyphal arrangements affect strength - and the results were surprising.

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Here's where it gets fascinating: artificial intelligence is now being used to predict exactly how 10,000+ mushroom filaments should be arranged to create materials with specific properties.

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Instead of the traditional approach of creating materials first and then testing them, this "inverse design" process starts with desired properties and works backward.

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The physical prototypes are created using 3D printing technology to replicate these mushroom-inspired structures - merging nature's design with cutting-edge manufacturing.

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While mycelium-based materials are biodegradable and can be grown on agricultural waste, they face challenges: a typical mycelium brick has only 30 PSI strength compared to concrete's 4,000 PSI.

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Yet what mycelium lacks in absolute strength, it makes up for in other ways - studies show these materials offer good thermal and acoustic properties while being significantly cheaper than traditional alternatives.

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"The next step involves developing a finite element model for testing and analysis," explains PhD student Mohamed Khalil Elhachimi, part of the groundbreaking Binghamton team.

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As climate concerns drive demand for sustainable alternatives, this mushroom research could provide building solutions that have been hiding in plain sight all along.

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