CNN Indonesia
Monday, 06 Mar 2023 10:03 WIB
Illustration. Researchers find mold that has the potential to replace plastic. (CNN Indonesia/ Adi Ibrahim)
Jakarta, CNNIndonesia —
A joint research team from Finland, the Netherlands and Germany revealed a magic mushroom that could be used as an alternative material for making plastic.
The fungus is called tinder alias tinder with the Latin name Fomes fomentarius. In essence, the fungus eats wood fiber and is often used as a treatment. Now the mushroom has a use as an alternative biodegradable to plastic thanks to the unification of the mycelium.
Made up of thin filaments known as hyphae, the mycelium forms a root-like network that spreads through the soil or decaying material.
quoted Science Alertthe research team revealed that in the case of tinder fungus, this network can be divided into three distinct layers.
“The mycelium is the main component in all layers. However, in each layer, the mycelium shows very different microstructures with unique preferential orientations, aspect ratios, densities and branch lengths,” the researchers said.
The team also examined the structure and chemical composition of the fungal bodies using samples collected in Finland. The mechanical strength test is combined with a detailed scan of the fungus to examine the characteristics in detail.
Three layers were found: a hard, thin outer crust that encased a foamy layer beneath and a stack of hollow tubular structures at the core.
The researchers found the hollow tubes, which make up most of the fruiting bodies of F. fomentarius, can withstand greater forces than the foamy layers, all without experiencing major dislocations or deformations.
This mushroom must have had a structure that could not withstand the rigors of the changing seasons and the falling branches of the trees. That’s the toughness that can inspire new synthetic materials.
“What was remarkable was found that, with minimal changes in cell morphology and extracellular polymer composition, they formulated a wide range of materials with distinct physiochemical performances that surpassed most natural and man-made materials normally subject to property exchange,” the researchers wrote.
“We believe that the findings should appeal to a wide audience of materials science and beyond.”
The fungus F. fomentarius plays a role in nature by attaching itself to dead trees and releasing important nutrients that should be left in the bark. Now, it could be even more useful in the field of materials science.
It is part of the ever-evolving research into the potential of living ingredients, using living cells in a controlled, programmed way to achieve end results for specific types of ingredients.
“These results can offer a powerful source of inspiration for producing multifunctional materials with superior properties for various medical and industrial applications in the future,” the researchers wrote in the journal Science Advances.
(can/lth)
