METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A CONSTRUCTION AND/OR INSULATION MATERIAL

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a construction and/or insulation material comprising the steps of providing a fungus and a substrate, introducing or preparing a mixture of the fungus and the substrate in a mold, allowing the fungus to grow to form a network of hyphae through the mixture to form a mycelium composite, taking the composite from the mold, and shredding the composite to chunks.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a construction and/or insulation material comprising: providing a fungus and a substrate, introducing or preparing a mixture of the fungus and the substrate in a mold, allowing the fungus to grow to form a network of hyphae through the mixture to form a mycelium composite, taking the composite from the mold, and shredding the composite to chunks.

2. The method according to claim 1, and further comprising drying the chunks.

3. The method according to claim 1, and further comprising: introducing the chunks into an enclosure, and allowing the fungus to grow to form a network of hyphae around and/or through the chunks to form a further composite.

4. The method according to claim 1, and further comprising: preparing or introducing a mixture of the chunks, fungus and substrate in an enclosure, and allowing the fungus to grow to form a network of hyphae around and/or through the chunks to form a mycelium composite.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the enclosure is part of or defined by a roofing, flooring or wall panel, the fungus forms a network of hyphae into the walls of the enclosure, and the further composite is dried while it remains in the enclosure of the panel.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chunks have an average diameter in a range from 0.5 to 10 centimeters.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein at least 80%, preferably at least 90% of the chunks have a diameter in that range.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the composite is shredded after colonization is completed.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein shredding involves breaking and/or tearing.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the growth of the fungus in the chunks is stopped by heating, reduced pressure, freezing, radiation and/or drying.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fungus or at least one of the fungi is selected from the group consisting of Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus eryngii, Stropharia rugosoannulata, Trametes versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Bjerkandera adusta, Lentinula edodes, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus, Pycnoporus sanguineus, Grifola frondosa, Schizophyllum commune, Neolentinus lepideus, and Heterobasidiom annosum.

12. A construction and/or insulation material, comprising chunks of mycelium composite obtained with the method according to claim 1.

13. The construction and/or insulation material according to claim 12, having a thermal conductivity, lambda (?), of 0.037 W/mK or less.

14. The construction and/or insulation material according to claim 12, wherein the chunks have an average diameter in a range from 0.5 to 10 centimeters.

15. A prefabricated construction and/or insulation element comprising a material according to claim 12.

16. The construction and/or insulation material according to claim 12, having a specific weight in a range from 100 to 200 kg/m3.

17. The construction and/or insulation material according to claim 12, having a porosity in a range from 10% to 50%.

18. A prefabricated construction and/or insulation material comprising chunks of mycelium composite.

19. The prefabricated construction of claim 18, wherein the construction comprises a plate, a panel, a load-bearing element for frame construction, or a wall.

20. The insulation material of claim 18, wherein the insulation material comprises an insulation layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Aspects of the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the figures, which schematically show an embodiment according to the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a photo of chunks of mycelium composite.

[0034] FIG. 2 show panels wherein a mixture of the chunks, shown in FIG. 1, substrate and fungus has been introduced in the enclosure.

[0035] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a prefab construction element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT

[0036] FIG. 1 shows chunks of a mycelium composite. The chunks were prepared by homogenously mixing substrate, e.g. wood shavings, straw, and grass, and a 1% solution of hydrogen peroxide. After 30 to 60 minutes rest, the substrate was mixed again, primarily to allow any remaining peroxide to escape. Next, the substrate was mixed homogenously with a fungus (inoculum), for instance Pleurotus ostreatus, optionally at least one nutrient, such as oatflakes, and water, which mixture was introduced into a mold, and covered, e.g. with an impermeable foil or tarpaulin. The temperature of the mixture was maintained in a range from 15 to 24? C., for example at 20? C. The fungus was allowed to grow for a period in a range from 50 to 120 hours, preferably in a range from 70 to 110 hours, for example 100 hours, to form a network of hyphae through the mixture.

[0037] When the mycelium composite was considered at or near optimum, in terms of coherence, the mycelium composite was removed from the mold and shredded to chunks having an average diameter of about 5 centimeters, with 80 wt % of the particles having a diameter in a range from 3 to 8 centimeters.

[0038] The chunks were dried through forced convection of air at ambient temperature. The dried chunks were mixed with 20 wt % of a fresh mixture of substrate and fungus, identical to the mixture from which chunks were formed. This mixture of chunks, substrate, and fungus was introduced as bulk into the enclosure(s) of a roofing panel as shown in FIG. 2.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows two examples of a roofing panel 2, each of which has an enclosure 3 defined by walls made e.g. of wood or fiberboard and, in this example, comprising side walls 4, upper and lower end walls 5, 6, and a bottom wall (hidden from view by the mixture). The upper end wall 5 forms a headboard that is at an inclination and that, once the panel is installed on a roof, forms the apex of the roof (inner) construction and supports e.g. a ridge beam and/or ridge tiles. The lower end wall 6 forms a gutter board.

[0040] The side walls are in effect rafters that play a major role in providing strength and stiffness to the panel 2. One of the panels shown in FIG. 2 comprises a total of five rafters 4, two on the sides (co)defining the enclosure 3 of the panel 1 and three inside the enclosure, dividing the enclosure into four sections. The other panel 2 comprises a total of three rafters 5, two sides (co)defining the enclosure 3 of the panel 2 and one inside the enclosure dividing the enclosure into two sections.

[0041] The fungus in the enclosure of the panel was allowed to grow, to form a network of hyphae around and/or through the chunks to form a mycelium composite and into the walls of the enclosure. When the mycelium composite was considered at or near optimum, in terms of strength, stiffness and durability in a dried state, the fungus was killed by heating and drying the prefab construction element and the mycelium composite in it.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a prefabricated construction element 7 wherein the panel 2 comprises, in addition to the rafters 4, vertical battens 8 fixed to the panel 2 and optionally horizontal battens 9 fixed to the vertical battens 8, thus ready to be installed in a wood frame building.

[0043] In comparison to a traditional panel having the same external dimensions, the prefabricated element according to this example equally fulfils official requirements (building codes) for strength, stiffness, and insulation, but require at least 45% less wood.

[0044] The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiments, which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims, and, for instance, applies similarly advantageously in construction elements for floors and walls. Also, the dried chunks, after inactivating the fungus, can be used an insulating material, e.g. by introducing (blowing) the chunks into the cavity of a cavity wall.