Mai Thi Nguyen and Daniela Solueva are awarded one of the materialPREIS Awards Anerkennung 2022.
Mycomerge: Mycelium-based natural fiber composite on a rattan scaffold.
Special feature
The rattan scaffold is integrated into the mycelium composite to form a compostable unit.
Description of the submission
Mycelium, a living fungal organism, has the potential to replace conventional materials as it can serve as a binder for various natural fibers such as hemp, flax or other agricultural waste. This product will demonstrate the viability of mycelium when reinforced with bio-based materials, particularly natural fibers, in an alternative design approach. Unlike standard manufacturing techniques, the proposed design method aims to direct the growth of the mycelium onto a natural rattan skeleton that serves as the supporting structure for the mycelium substrate and its fiber reinforcement. The rattan skeleton is integrated into the finished composite product, where both components fuse to form a fully biodegradable unit. The resulting multilayer biobased component can support a load of more than 20 times its own weight. A first physical prototype on furniture scale will be realized.
Comment of the jury
The clever use of mycelium in a rattan structure brings forth a new design approach. The two products combine to form a unit that is truly strong. Biodegradable, this study meets the nerve of the time.
The seminar was led by Ms. Evgenia Spyridonos and Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hanaa Dahy.
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