Fire Starter Fungus: Candidate for Plastic Alternative, Study Shows

A study demonstrates that the new candidate material for plastic alternatives is the fungus used as a fire starter.

From Fire Starter to Plastic Alternative

The term "tinder fungus" refers to a hard, bell-shaped fungus that develops on decaying tree bark and has long been used as a fire starter. Now that scientists have a better understanding of the molecular structure of this strangely potent organism, they may be able to replace some plastics with it.

According to a study, the fungus, formally known as Fomes fomentarius, has structurally strong parts that are comparable to plywood or leather but lighter in weight.

The research also revealed that F. Fomentarius fruiting bodies are cleverly light biological designs that are effective despite their simple composition. A different approach to addressing the problems of time, cost, mass production, and sustainability of how people can produce and consume materials in the future is to grow the material using basic ingredients.

Fungus of High Potential

F. fomentarius, also known as "hoof fungus" due to its appearance resembling a horse's hoof, has been used by people to fuel fires for a very long time. The study claims that the fungus has only recently caught the attention of the scientific community despite being used to make some clothing items, including hats.

The internal structure of F. fomentarius was examined in greater detail by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland researchers to gain a better understanding of the microstructures that provide the fungus its distinctively strong yet lightweight consistency. Dr. Pezhman Mohammadi, a VTT senior scientist, and co-author of the study said that what they discovered was very encouraging.

The fungus could replace shock-absorbing raw material used in things such as football helmets as well as other sporting equipment, heat, and sound insulators, and even consumer product parts, like headset parts, because it has structural stability similar to some grades of plastic, according to an email from Mohammadi.

According to Mohammadi, F. fomentarius has three layers: a softer middle layer made of spongy material, a stiff and hard outer layer that serves as protection, and a tough and durable inner layer that can outperform various classes of synthetic and organic materials.

In a previous article published by Fashion United, tinder fungus was highlighted as a zero-waste resource. After being harvested by hand, it was dried for a year and made into mushroom leather, which can be made into a variety of items.

Sustainability

The scientists do not advocate using tinder fungus that has been collected from the wild and used in industrial processes. Mohammadi pointed out that would not be economically feasible because it takes F fomentarius seven to ten years to reach a significant size. The fungus, which is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, is also essential to the ecosystem because it blooms on the bark of decaying beech and birch trees to speed up the process of decomposition.

However, according to Mohammadi, researchers have made progress toward cultivating the fungus or a species that is similar in a lab setting.

In contrast to wild-type mushrooms, which take years to grow, Mohammadi's team of experts predicted that with the advancements in industrial biotechnology, metric tons would be produced in a matter of weeks. For instance, they have 1000-liter pilot-scale bioreactors in their research facility where this could be done.

However, like any emerging technology, it would require years of research and development to be fully realized, CNN reports.

This new study by Mohammadi and several colleagues was published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.