Process and Apparatus for Producing Mycelium Biomaterial
The process for producing mycelium biomaterial provides two phases of incubation. In a first phase of fungal expansion, the fungal inoculum is allowed to expand and dominate the substrate. In a second phase, nutrient is added to the inoculated mixture to allow the fungal inoculum to bond the discrete particles into a self-supporting biocomposite. The process allows for the processing of grown materials in separate vessels with the second vessel providing the final shape of the biomaterial.
1 . A process for producing mycelium biomaterial comprising the steps of
mixing a substrate of discrete particles of wood chips characterized in having a low nutrient content of lignocellulose, and a fungal inoculum from the division of Basidiomycota to form a first pourable mixture;
incubating said mixture in a first phase of fungal expansion for a time and at a temperature sufficient to allow said fungal inoculum to expand and dominate said substrate;
thereafter mixing said incubated mixture with added nutrients to form a second pourable mixture;
incubating a predetermined height of said second mixture in a second phase of fungal expansion for a time and at a temperature sufficient to allow said fungal inoculum to bond said discrete particles into a self-supporting biocomposite; and
thereafter desiccating said biocomposite to form a mycelium biomaterial.
2 . A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises Aspen wood chips and said fungal inoculum is one of Ganoderma lucidum and Trametes versicolor.
3 . A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first phase of fungal expansion occurs in a first vessel having a cavity receiving said first mixture.
4 . A process as set forth in claim 3 wherein said second phase of fungal expansion occurs in a second vessel having a cavity larger than said cavity of said first vessel and said self-supporting biocomposite has a shape conforming to said cavity of said second vessel.
5 . A process as set forth in claim 5 wherein said self-supporting biocomposite is in the shape of a block and which further comprises the step of cutting said block-shaped biocomposite into thin sheets having a thickness of up to 4 inches.
6 . A process for producing mycelium biomaterial comprising the steps of
mixing a substrate of discrete particles of wood chips characterized in having a low nutrient content of lignocellulose, and a fungal inoculum to form a first pourable mixture;
dispensing said mixture into a vessel to fill said vessel to a predetermined height within said vessel;
incubating said mixture within said vessel in a first phase of fungal expansion for a time and at a temperature sufficient to allow said fungal inoculum to expand and dominate said substrate;
thereafter mixing said mixture with added nutrients to form a second pourable mixture;
dispensing said second pourable mixture into a second vessel;
incubating said second pourable mixture within said second vessel in a second phase of fungal expansion for a time and at a temperature sufficient to allow said fungal inoculum to bond said discrete particles into a self-supporting biocomposite; and
thereafter desiccating said biocomposite to form a mycelium biomaterial.
7 . A process as set forth in claim 6 wherein said second vessel has a cavity of predetermined three dimensional shape to receive said second pourable mixture and said biocomposite conforms to said shape.
8 . A process as set forth in claim further comprising the step of placing inserts into said second vessel prior to said step of dispensing said second mixture into said second vessel to define a plurality of cavities for dispensing of said second pourable mixture thereinto.