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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
Fraunhofer UMSICHT operates a laboratory and technical research center in Dortmund dedicated to the development of materials based on fungal mycelium and has consolidated its research activities on mycelium-based materials under the FungiFacturing® brand. The open participatory lab formerly known as DEZENTRALE has evolved into a research facility with a robust infrastructure dedicated to developing mycelium as a sustainable material.
In 2013, the DEZENTRALE was established in Dortmund as an open community lab for interested citizens - as part of the LUZI project (Laboratory for urban future questions and innovations). The goal was to develop new and sustainable products or technologies for future challenges and to conduct research that is accessible to the public.
The Fraunhofer UMSICHT team began with initial experiments on mycelium material and mushroom cultivation - still using do-it-yourself equipment. With the support of the City of Dortmund’s “Nordwärts” funding program, the lab’s infrastructure and participatory approaches - such as the nationally renowned Innovative Citizen Festival - were realized. In 2019, the first project on sound absorbers based on fungi and plant fibers using 3D paste printing was funded by the “Fachagentur für Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V.”*.
The potential of this bio-based material is vast - it is resource-efficient, circular and suitable for a wide range of applications in the construction, packaging and automotive industries. Mycelium-based materials are created when a fungus feeds on a specific plant-based substrate, grows through it and thereby stabilizes it. After appropriate drying, the fungus dies and the material is ready for further processing.
From substrate development through prototyping to life cycle assessment
For this reason, DEZENTRALE no longer exists as a hands-on lab; parts of the makerspace have moved to the Oberhausen site of Fraunhofer UMSICHT - where they can be used for the institute’s research projects. Specialists in biology, process engineering and mechanical engineering are now dedicated to the further development of mycelium materials and have expanded the technical facility in Dortmund for this purpose. Large constant-climate chambers, an autoclave, 3D ceramic printers and heating cabinets are available for substrate and prototype development. The researchers select suitable substrates, develop the appropriate formulations for the specific application and can produce prototypes of the mycelium materials through drying and incubation. “We also have a microbiological laboratory area at our disposal,” explains Lina Vieres of the Carbon Utilization and Mineralization Department at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. Material characterization and functionalization of the finished material are handled by the relevant departments at Fraunhofer UMSICHT in Oberhausen. Here, the focus is on fire safety, degradability, thermal conductivity and life cycle assessments of the new materials.
“We are delighted with the excellent facilities at the Mycelium Technology Center, where we produce innovative mycelium-based materials and thus advance the bioeconomy. We can support and advise our customers from the initial idea up to the final sustainable material. We also offer specialized workshops and lectures on the topic to develop customized solutions,” adds Lina Vieres.
*central coordinating agency in the area of renewable resources in Germany
https://www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de/en/circulareconomy/mushroom-materials.html
https://www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de/en/projects/fungifacturing.html
The state-of-the-art facilities of the laboratory and technical center make it possible to produce a ...
Copyright: Fraunhofer UMSICHT/Mike Henning
Incubation of the substrates
Copyright: Fraunhofer UMSICHT/Mike Henning
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