In the United Kingdom, a team of biotechnologists from Newcastle University
and Northumbria University have discovered a technique to utilize mycelium
to make a self-healing wearable material. Elise Elsacker, Martyn
Dade-Robertson, and Meng Zhang detail their procedure and how well it
performed in tests in their study that was published in the journal Advanced
Functional Materials.
Some forms of fungi generate a structure resembling thread called mycelium.
Prior studies have demonstrated that fungi may form colonies with branching
mycelium that intertwines, leading to the development of massive, matted
structures. Usually, these kinds of constructions are underground. Due to
their likeness to cow skin leather, previous studies have demonstrated that
mycelium mats may be processed to create a substance known as mycelium
leather.
However, as the study team points out, these procedures often result in the
death of chlamydospores, tiny nodules that enable the material to reanimate
under the appropriate conditions. After looking at samples and the
leathering procedure, they thought about if they might alter the procedure
to avoid destroying the chlamydospores, which may enable the material to
self-heal when placed in a favorable environment.
By introducing active chlamydospores to a watery batch of carbohydrates,
proteins, and other nutrients, the researchers generated their own batch of
mycelium. Then they gave the liquid time to cool and develop a thick skin.
The skin was then removed from the liquid by the team and spread out to dry.
They used a combination of temperatures and chemicals throughout the drying
process to enable the material to resemble leather without eradicating the
imbedded chlamydospores.
Testing of the finished product revealed that it resembled other mycelium
leathers in terms of appearance and properties. The team poked holes in it
and then submerged it in the same liquid bath that had been used to create
it to see whether it could self-heal. After that, they dried it out,
observing that the regenerated chlamydospores gradually filled up the gaps.
Although scientists noticed that it was still easy to discern where the
holes had been, testing revealed that the recently healed material was
equally as strong as an undamaged control sample.
