Fungi Filament for Sustainable Soundproofing

Researchers have developed sustainable soundproofing using the fungus-based material, mycelium, and 3D printing technologies. The majority of modern soundproofing panels are made of synthetic foams or mineral fibers. These are neither sustainable nor recyclable. Mycelium, however, is effective, sustainable and will help to conserve resources. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP) have discovered a way to adapt mycelium and 3D printers in order to additively manufacture new eco-friendly sound absorbers.

Mycelium is the vegetative body for fungus, the equivalent of a plant’s root system. It contains a network of thread-like tubular filaments called hyphae. In order to turn this into a material which can be 3D printed the it must first be mixed with a vegetal substrate such as straw, wood or waste from food production. This mixture is then 3D printed into the desired shape. The mycelium permeates the substrate, fusing with it. The part is then put in a kiln to kill the fungus. The final structure is solid, yet porous, and when printed in thin layers is an effective sound absorber.

Mycelium being used to create soundproofing. (Credit: Fraunhofer UMSICHT)

While also creating strong and lightweight parts, the material is eco-friendly, biodegradable and exists in abundance. When in its natural habitat, Mycelium can span more than a kilometer underground. It also acts as a carbon storage facility, able to double an environment’s natural carbon-capture rate. While several 3D printing materials boast a low to zero carbon footprints, mycelium’s is negative.