Sustainable Pultruded Sandwich Profiles with Mycelium Core

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biocomposites
• Sustainable Engineering

Background:

• Traditional materials like wood and polyurethane (PUR) foam face environmental concerns.
• Glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) sandwich profiles are widely used in various applications.
• Mycelium, a fungal material, is being explored as a bio-based alternative core material.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate mycelium as a sustainable core material for pultruded GFRP sandwich profiles.
• To assess the mechanical performance and environmental sustainability of mycelium-based composites.
• To compare mycelium composites with traditional materials like PUR foam and chipboard.

Main Methods:

• Mechanical testing of pultruded sandwich profiles with mycelium cores.
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to determine environmental impact, focusing on greenhouse gas emissions.
• Comparative analysis of mycelium, PUR foam, and chipboard profiles.

Main Results:

• Mycelium composites demonstrate competitive performance and environmental impact compared to PUR foam and chipboard.
• Heat pressing during mycelium production is the primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (88%).
• Global Warming Potential (GWP) for mycelium cores (350-550 kg/m³) ranges from 1.50 to 9.10 kg CO2-eq. per functional unit, depending on the heating method (electric vs. oil).
• Using an electrically heated press reduces GWP significantly and offers a 23% reduction compared to PUR foam.

Conclusions:

• Mycelium is a viable, sustainable alternative for GFRP sandwich profiles.
• Further improvements in material performance and process reproducibility are needed.
• Optimizing the manufacturing process, such as in situ mycelium deactivation during pultrusion, can further enhance sustainability by reducing energy consumption.