Mycelium Research in chronological order:
Textiles w/ mycelium: https://neffa.nl/portfolio/mycelium-textile/
Topic: Growing mycelium on textiles
Species: schizophyllum
Findings:
Mycelium does not like to grow on a tight knitted or woven fabric. It needs space and openness to grow. (oxygen)
The mycelium did not use the textiles as food, even over 6 months.
making mycelium material – some loose protocols:
http://www.o-matic.com/blog/blog/2014/08/04/making-mycelium-material-some-loose-protocols/
Good Tip:
“nut bags (or other mesh bags) to pasteurize substrate (easy to squeeze water out)”
Steps to make m:
heat water to 160º
pasteurize substrate for 10-15 minutes
clean all work surfaces and mold interior and exterior with alcohol and dry
wash hands and arms with soap, wear gloves for the next steps:
cool substrate until you can handle it
squeeze all excess water from substrate (you want it moist but not dripping at all)
put air filter into hole in mold
mix grain spawn with substrate; there are 2 ways to do this: “lasagna” method of layering substrate then spawn, or premix 1:5 spawn: substrate either way, the ratio is about 20%, might be less needed
pack mold with spawn
keep somewhere between 70º – 80º (I keep my molds in a loosely closed cardboard box to prevent contaminants drifting in the air or falling from the ceiling)
You should have a pretty solid material after 6-12 days It will look very white and fuzzy Remove from mold Dry in open air (it should no longer risk contamination at this point) for 3 days or until dry to touch
Bake in over at 150• – 200º for 60 minutes to render mycelium inert.
Recycling: Mycology, Materials Science and Architecture
https://issuu.com/tsvetomiladuncheva/docs/tsvetomila_ar521-interdisciplinary-
Topic:
An exploration of innovative mycological building materials and ideas for their application. Updated November 2013. University of Kent"
Relevant quotes:
“However, the issue of sterile conditions and the emitted CO2 emissions to achieve them, the sourcing of substrate materials and their adequate storage still questions the true sustainability of this natural material”
Common practice for drying mycelium to make it inactive: “if they are dehydrated to a moisture content <30%, the hyphae become entirely inactive and the growth process cannot be restarted.
Philip Ross' Patent: Method for Producing Fungus Structures
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20120135504A1/en
Mycelium Material Study, August 8, 2014, Catherine Jameson, T.J. Thomas, Robert Williams
http://studiomurmur.net/docs/MyceliumFinalReport_08082014.pdf
Topic: Research into processes, applications, reinforcement materials, timeframes for production. References @ end are useful for further research
Relevant quotes:
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“…by using enzymes to convert cellulose in the substrate into chitin, a strong compound found in crustacean exoskeletons. The chitin acts like an adhesive, bonding the substrate particles together.” *
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" Coffee grounds were then added to some substrate, since some mushroom growers have found that the nitrogen in coffee acts as a sort of fertilizer and increases growth rates”…“The addition of coffee increased the strength of both the plywood and mixed sawdust swatches, though it negatively affected the hardwood strength. However, the hardwood with coffee added had greater mycelial growth” *
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“The optimal conditions for curing, according to Philip Ross, are baking at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 or more hours, depending on the thickness of the final product” *
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“We observed that the mycelium felt less fragile when grown with support materials that had smaller holes, like the screens, burlap, and nylon mesh” *
Relevant pages:
Testing of different samples for flexural strength: Page 14
Substrate preparation procedure: page 6
Results of support material tests: page 15
Flexural strength test results : page 25
Observations on resulting material swatches:
Jonas Edvard, designer working with mycelium - MYX lamp from mycelium which grows mushrooms to eat after a few weeks
http://jonasedvard.dk/work/myx/
Interesting:
Oyster mushrooms grown on hemp and linen, makes a soft, flexible living material.
Officina Corpuscoli
Topic: Design studio in Amsterdam which works exploring different applications for mycelium as one of its focuses.
Symbiotic Jewelry http://www.corpuscoli.com/projects/symbiotic-jewellery/
A ring in which fungus grows slowly as it is worn. The wearer becomes an observer of the manufacturing process.
NYU Mycelium assignment: The Fungus Among Us
https://itp.nyu.edu/classes/fungus/readings.html
Lots of reading links, a good resource
MYCELIUM RUNNING, How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World, PAUL STAMETS, 2005
Topic: Book about the wide ranging applications and potential for mycelium by mushroom uber nerd Paul Stamets.
Relevant quotes & notes, pages:
Page 161 - 162 : On Cold Incubation,
By keeping the substrate below temps at which competing life can grow (35 to 50 Fahrenheit) and choosing the right mycelium strain (e.g. oyster, enoki) which is able to grow in these low temps you can increase your chances of growing mycelium on straw successfully outside of a lab environment.
Keep in the shade or cover with something if in an unshaded spot
10-30% mycelium of the total mass of substrate is recommended
Page 162 - 163 : On Peroxide treatment
Mycelium sweats peroxidase enzymes to break down plant fibers but also to kill foreign spores. By treating the substrate with peroxide ( hydrogen peroxide) first before inoculating, you can give the mycelium a head start against the competitors.
Peroxide treatment procedure is described in full on page 162
Page 163 - :Heat Pasteurization
Heat the material in water at 160 Fahrenheit for 1 hour (for 100 to 150 lbs of wet straw)
Apply the spores directly after removing the straw from the pasteurizing tank, spread it out on a sterile surface for quick cooling. Then the mycelium spores should be immediately added to the substrate once the temperature is below that which will kill the mycelium. Adding the mycelium spores of a vigorously colonising type such as the Oyster as soon as possible on the pasteurized straw means that the mycelium can grow strong enough before other organisms can get a foothold, they typically take around 10 days to emerge. If you pasteurise at too hot a temperature you can also kill microbial allies, (over 190 Fahrenheit) black and pink mold can then occur within 1 or 2 days.
Page 265: Notes for incubating colonising mycelium:
65 to 75 Fahrenheit is ideal for most mycelium to incubate at and colonising. Avoid fluctuations in temperature as they will hinder the mycelium and cause condensation which can carry contaminants from one location to another.
MYCO-COSMOS - Paul Stamets and Laraaji
Topic: A guided exploration of biology, space travel and the interconnected universe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc1UXliZ-H4
23:40 - 30% of plant matter is decomposed into mycelium to create water. Lenses of mycelium grow, they hydrate the environment around them"
M(y)crobes–A Wearable BioSensor Project by The Cotard Syndicate
https://www.stefanibardin.net/mycrobes/
Topic: A wearable agar filled dish for the wrist or neck which is left exposed to the elements. Seeds are planted in the agar and the micro ecosystem of the user’s environment becomes visual in real time as the microbes form colonies and the seeds grow.
Image of M(y)crobes being worn https://cdn-blog.adafruit.com/uploads/2015/01/BioNeck-e1421086503486.jpg
//What about wearing living mycelium as is grows?
Thermal Conductivity of Materials
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Tables/thrcn.html
Blood Vessels: Illustrations
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17061-blood-vessels-illustrations
Oyster Growing Temp
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4397375/
Rhizomorphic Mycellium on Agar
https://www.reddit.com/r/shrooms/comments/7mso04/rhizomorphic_mycellium_on_agar/