Fungal textile materials and leather analogs

Abstract

To provide textile materials that may be produced cost-effectively with a minimum of environmental impact and without animal welfare or other ethical concerns.SOLUTION: There are disclosed textile compositions comprising at least one filamentous fungus, and methods for making and using such textile compositions. Embodiments of the textile compositions generally include at least one of a plasticizer, a polymer, and a crosslinker, in addition to the filamentous fungus. The disclosed textile compositions are particularly useful as analogs or substitutes for conventional textile compositions, including but not limited to leather.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 62 / 862,860, filed June 18, 2019, 62 / 951,332, filed December 20, 2019, and 62 / 966,525, filed January 27, 2020, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0002] This invention relates generally to fungal materials, particularly materials derived from filamentous fungi, that can be used as leather analogs and in other textiles and fabrics. [Background technology]

[0003] Many current textile materials, including but not limited to leather, create environmental problems during production and can be difficult or impossible to recycle or dispose of in an environmentally safe manner at the end of the article's useful life. As a non-limiting example, leather production relies on raising cattle (which itself can have significant environmental impacts and raise animal welfare concerns) and requires a tanning process that can use highly toxic chemicals such as chromium, formic acid, mercury, and various solvents. Leather also slowly biodegrades over a period of about 25 to about 40 years. Many textile materials are subject to similar environmental or ethical concerns. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Thus, there is a need in the art for textile materials that can be produced cost-effectively, with minimal environmental impact, and without animal welfare or other ethical concerns. It would be further advantageous for such materials to retain various physical and / or mechanical properties of conventional textile materials, such as leather, such as tensile strength, tear strength, bending stiffness, elasticity, texture, thermal properties, sensory attributes, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In one aspect of the invention, a method for preparing a durable sheet material comprising a fungal biomass includes (a) infiltrating an inactivated fungal biomass with a solution, the solution comprising a solvent and a component selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a crosslinker, and combinations and mixtures thereof, and (b) curing the biomass to remove the solvent from the biomass to form the durable sheet material.

[0006] In an embodiment, the fungal biomass may comprise fungal mycelium.

[0007] In embodiments, the inactivated fungal biomass may be size-reduced prior to step (a), which may include blending the size-reduced inactivated fungal biomass with a solution to form a blended composition. The method may, but need not, further include, in step (b), casting the blended composition to form a cast sheet from which the solvent has been removed. The size-reduced inactivated fungal biomass may, but need not, have an average particle size of about 125 microns or less.

[0008] In embodiments, the inactivated fungal biomass may include a flocculent fungal biomass, and (a) may include agitating the inactivated fungal biomass and the solution together for a period of time. The flocculent fungal biomass may, but need not, be produced by a surface fermentation process or a submerged solid-surface fermentation process. The period of time may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of at least about 4 hours, at least about 5 hours, at least about 10 hours, at least about 15 hours, at least about 20 hours, or at least about 25 hours. The period of time may, but need not, be from about 10 hours to about 20 hours. The agitation may, but need not, be performed at a pressure other than atmospheric pressure, which may be subatmospheric or superatmospheric pressure. The method may, but need not, further include subjecting the inactivated fungal biomass to treatment with at least one chemical selected from the group consisting of calcium hydroxide and tannin.

[0009] In embodiments, the inactivated fungal biomass may comprise a fungal paste produced by submerged fermentation.

[0010] In embodiments, the polymer may be selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polyethylene glycol, alginate, starch, polycaprolactone, polyacrylic acid, hyaluronic acid, and combinations thereof.

[0011] In embodiments, the polymer may be present in the durable sheet material in an amount selected from the group consisting of about 25% by weight or less of the durable sheet material, about 20% by weight or less of the durable sheet material, about 15% by weight or less of the durable sheet material, about 10% by weight or less of the durable sheet material, and about 5% by weight or less of the durable sheet material.

[0012] In embodiments, the cross-linking agent may be selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, extracted vegetable tannins, glyoxal, and combinations thereof.

[0013] In embodiments, the solution may further comprise a plasticizer, which may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of glycerol and its esters, polyethylene glycol, citric acid, oleic acid, oleic acid polyols and their esters, epoxidized triglyceride vegetable oils, castor oil, pentaerythritol, fatty acid esters, carboxylic acid ester plasticizers, trimellitate, adipate, sebacate, maleate, biological plasticizers, and combinations thereof.

[0014] In embodiments, the fungal biomass may comprise at least one filamentous fungus belonging to an order selected from the group consisting of Ustilaginales, Russulales, Agaricales, Pezizales, and Hypocreales.

[0015] In embodiments, the fungal biomass is selected from the group consisting of Ustilaginaceae, Hericiaceae, Polyporaceae, Grifolaceae, Lyophyllaceae, Strophariaceae, Lycoperdaceae, Agariaceae, Pleurotaceae, and the like. ae), Physalacriaceae, Omphalotaceae, Tuberaceae, Morchellaceae, Sparassidaceae, Nectriaceae, and Cordycipitaceae.

[0016] In embodiments, the fungal biomass may be from the genus Agaricus, Calocybe, Calvatia, Cordyceps, Disciotis, Fomes, Fusarium, Ganoderma, Grifola, Hericulum, Hypholoma, Schizosaccharomyces ... The fungus may include at least one species of filamentous fungus belonging to a genus selected from the group consisting of Hypsizygus, Morchella, Pholiota, Pleurotus, Polyporous, Sparassis, Stropharia, Tuber, and Ustilago.

[0017] In an embodiment, the fungal biomass is selected from the group consisting of Ustilago esculenta, Hericulum erinaceus, Polyporous squamosus, Grifola fondosa, Hypsizygus marmoreus, Hypsizygus ulmarius, Calocybe gambosa, Pholiota nameko, Calvatia gigantea, Agaricus bisporus, Stropharia rugosoannulata, Hypholoma lateritium, Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus ostreatus var. columbinus, Tuber borchii, Morchella esculenta, Morchella conica, Morchella importuna, Sparassis crispa, Fusarium venenatum, MK7 ATCC Deposit No. PTA-10698, Disciotis venosa, and Cordyceps militaris.

[0018] In embodiments, the solution may further comprise at least one of a pigment, a solubilizing agent, and a pH adjuster. The solubilizing agent may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, and combinations and mixtures thereof. The pH adjuster may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0019] In embodiments, the durable sheet material may include proteins cross-linked by isopeptide bonds.

[0020] In embodiments, the method may further include at least one of (i) adding a thermal dopant to the inactivated fungal biomass and (ii) adding a thermal dopant to the durable sheet material after step (b). The amount of thermal dopant may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of at least about 2.5% by weight of the durable sheet material, at least about 5% by weight of the durable sheet material, at least about 7.5% by weight of the durable sheet material, at least about 10% by weight of the durable sheet material, at least about 12.5% ​​by weight of the durable sheet material, at least about 15% by weight of the durable sheet material, and at least about 17.5% by weight of the durable sheet material. The amount of thermal dopant may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of no more than about 20% by weight of the durable sheet material, no more than about 17.5% by weight of the durable sheet material, no more than about 15% by weight of the durable sheet material, no more than about 12.5% ​​by weight of the durable sheet material, no more than about 10% by weight of the durable sheet material, no more than about 7.5% by weight of the durable sheet material, and no more than about 5% by weight of the durable sheet material. The thermal dopant may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of ceramic materials, metallic materials, polymeric materials, and combinations thereof. The thermal dopant may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, aluminum oxide, bentonite, diatomaceous earth, ethylene vinyl acetate, lignin, nanosilica, polycaprolactone, polylactic acid, silicone, and yttrium oxide.

[0021] In an embodiment, the inactivated fungal biomass may be a size-reduced inactivated fungal biomass.

[0022] In embodiments, the inactivated fungal biomass may comprise a biomat, or a portion thereof, produced by a surface fermentation process. The carbon to nitrogen molar ratio in the growth medium of the surface fermentation process may be, but need not be, from about 5 to about 20, or from about 7 to about 15.

[0023] In another aspect of the invention, a textile composition comprises an inactivated fungal biomass and at least one component selected from the group consisting of a plasticizer, a polymer, a crosslinker, and a dye, wherein the at least one component is dispersed in the fungal mycelium biomass.

[0024] In embodiments, the fabric composition may have a thickness of at least about 1 mm.

[0025] In embodiments, the fabric composition may have a tear force of at least about 30N.

[0026] In embodiments, the fabric composition may have a tear strength of at least about 10 N / mm.

[0027] In embodiments, the woven fabric composition may have a bending stiffness of about 5 grams-centimeters or less.

[0028] In embodiments, the fabric composition may have a tensile strength of at least about 10 MPa.

[0029] In embodiments, the textile composition may have a water drop grayscale rating of at least about 3.

[0030] In embodiments, the textile composition may have a light colorfastness blue wool rating of at least about 4.

[0031] In embodiments, the textile composition may have a rub colorfastness grayscale rating of at least about 3 when dry.

[0032] In embodiments, the textile composition may have a rub colorfastness grayscale rating of at least about 2 when wet.

[0033] In embodiments, the textile composition may further comprise at least one backing layer of a non-fungal textile material, which may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of acrylic, alpaca, angora, cashmere, coir, cotton, eisengarn, hemp, jute, Kevlar, linen, microfiber, mohair, nylon, olefin, pashmina, polyester, pina, ramie, rayon, seasilk, silk, sisal, spandex, spidersilk, wool, and combinations and blends thereof.

[0034] In embodiments, the textile composition may further comprise a thermal dopant. The thermal dopant may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of ceramic materials, metallic materials, polymeric materials, and combinations and mixtures thereof. The thermal dopant may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, aluminum oxide, bentonite, diatomaceous earth, ethylene vinyl acetate, lignin, nanosilica, polycaprolactone, polylactic acid, silicone, and yttrium oxide. The thermal characteristics of the textile composition may, but need not, be altered relative to the same thermal characteristics of the textile composition without the thermal dopant, and the thermal characteristics may be selected from the group consisting of thermal effusivity, thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and combinations thereof.

[0035] In another aspect of the invention, an article of manufacture comprises a textile composition described herein and is selected from the group consisting of an article of clothing, an accessory item, and a furniture item.

[0036] In another aspect of the invention, a method for making a durable sheet material includes: (a) contacting an inactivated fungal biomass with an aqueous solution comprising calcium hydroxide to form a limed inactivated fungal biomass; (b) contacting the limed inactivated fungal biomass with an aqueous solution comprising ammonium sulfate to form a delimed inactivated fungal biomass; (c) contacting the delimed inactivated fungal biomass with an aqueous solution comprising a polymer to form an acid-inactivated fungal biomass; (d) contacting the acid-inactivated fungal biomass with an aqueous solution comprising a crosslinker to form a tanned inactivated fungal biomass; (e) contacting the tanned inactivated fungal biomass with an aqueous solution comprising a plasticizer to form a plasticized inactivated fungal biomass; (f) drying the plasticized inactivated fungal biomass to form a dried inactivated fungal biomass; and (g) heat-pressing the dried inactivated fungal biomass to form a durable sheet material.

[0037] In embodiments, the method may further comprise rinsing the inactivated fungal biomass with water to remove residual aqueous solution between any pair of steps selected from the group consisting of steps (a) and (b), steps (b) and (c), steps (c) and (d), and steps (d) and (e).

[0038] In an embodiment, at least one of steps (a)-(e) may comprise agitating the inactivated fungal biomass with an aqueous solution.

[0039] In embodiments, at least one of the aqueous solutions of steps (a)-(c) may further comprise a surfactant or solubilizer, which may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of polysorbates, hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0040] In embodiments, the polymer may be selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polyethylene glycol, alginate, starch, polycaprolactone, polyacrylic acid, hyaluronic acid, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0041] In embodiments, the aqueous solution of step (c) may further comprise a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of glycerol and its esters, polyethylene glycol, citric acid, oleic acid, oleic polyols and their esters, epoxidized triglyceride vegetable oils, castor oil, pentaerythritol, fatty acid esters, carboxylic acid ester plasticizers, trimellitates, adipates, sebacates, maleates, biological plasticizers, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0042] In embodiments, the aqueous solution of step (c) may further comprise an alkali metal halide, which may, but need not, be sodium chloride.

[0043] In embodiments, the cross-linking agent may be selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, extracted vegetable tannins, glyoxal, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0044] In embodiments, the plasticizer may be selected from the group consisting of glycerol and its esters, polyethylene glycol, citric acid, oleic acid, oleic polyols and their esters, epoxidized triglyceride vegetable oils, castor oil, pentaerythritol, fatty acid esters, carboxylic acid ester plasticizers, trimellitate, adipate, sebacate, maleate, biological plasticizers, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0045] In another aspect of the invention, a method for making a durable sheet material includes (a) inactivating a fungal biomass by boiling the biomass in water, (b) contacting the inactivated fungal biomass with an aqueous solution comprising calcium hydroxide to form a calcified inactivated fungal biomass, (c) contacting the calcified inactivated fungal biomass with an aqueous solution comprising ammonium sulfate to form a decalcified inactivated fungal biomass, (d) contacting the decalcified inactivated fungal biomass with an aqueous solution comprising an alkali metal halide to form an acid-inactivated fungal biomass, (e) contacting the acid-inactivated fungal biomass with a first crosslinking agent to form a tanned inactivated fungal biomass, (f) contacting the tanned inactivated fungal biomass with a second crosslinking agent and a and a polymer to form a re-tanned, inactivated fungal biomass; (g) contacting the re-tanned, inactivated fungal biomass with a fatliquoring oil to form a fatliquoring, inactivated fungal biomass; (h) adhering a non-fungal textile backing to the inactivated fungal biomass to form a backed, inactivated fungal biomass; (i) heat-pressing the backed, inactivated fungal biomass to form a heat-pressed, inactivated fungal biomass; (j) drying the heat-pressed, inactivated fungal biomass to form a dried, inactivated fungal biomass; and (k) applying at least one of a finishing wax, a finishing oil, and nitrocellulose to the dried, inactivated fungal biomass to form a durable sheet material.

[0046] In embodiments, the method may further comprise rinsing the inactivated fungal biomass with water to remove residual aqueous solution between any pair of steps selected from the group consisting of steps (b) and (c), steps (c) and (d), and steps (e) and (f).

[0047] In an embodiment, at least one of steps (a)-(g) may comprise agitating the inactivated fungal biomass with an aqueous solution.

[0048] In embodiments, at least one of the aqueous solutions of steps (b) and (c) may further comprise a surfactant or solubilizer, which may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of polysorbates, hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0049] In embodiments, the polymer may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polyethylene glycol, alginate, starch, polycaprolactone, polyacrylic acid, hyaluronic acid, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0050] In embodiments, the alkali metal halide may be sodium chloride.

[0051] In embodiments, at least one of the aqueous solutions of steps (d)-(f) may include a pH adjuster, which may, but need not, include hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, or a combination or mixture thereof, or a metal hydroxide.

[0052] In embodiments, the first crosslinking agent may include an aluminum salt, a chromium salt, a titanium salt, an aldehyde, or a combination or mixture thereof. The first crosslinking agent may, but need not, be an aluminum silicate.

[0053] In embodiments, the second cross-linking agent may be selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, extracted vegetable tannins, glyoxal, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0054] In embodiments, the polymer may be selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polyethylene glycol, alginate, starch, polycaprolactone, polyacrylic acid, hyaluronic acid, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0055] In embodiments, the aqueous solution of step (f) may further comprise an anionic dye.

[0056] In embodiments, the fatliquoring oil may be selected from the group consisting of sulfated castor oil, beeswax, coconut oil, vegetable oil, olive oil, linseed oil, oleic acid, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0057] In embodiments, the fatliquoring oil may comprise an emulsion, and the method may further comprise, between steps (g) and (h), contacting the fatliquoring oil with an acid to break up the emulsion.

[0058] In embodiments, the finishing wax may be selected from the group consisting of carnauba wax, candelilla wax, and combinations and mixtures thereof. [Effects of the Invention]

[0059] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the production of durable sheet materials comprising fungal biomass. In certain embodiments, the durable sheet materials may have controlled, engineered, and / or tailored thermal properties. As a first non-limiting example, the thermal properties of the durable sheet materials of the present invention may be controlled, engineered, and / or tailored by controlling the size, number, and / or spatial distribution of air bubbles in the durable sheet material. As a second non-limiting example, the thermal properties of the durable sheet materials of the present invention may be controlled, engineered, and / or tailored by adding a thermal dopant having desired thermal properties (e.g., heat capacity, thermal conductivity, thermal effusivity, and combinations thereof) to modify the overall thermal properties of the durable sheet material. As a third non-limiting example, the thermal properties of the durable sheet materials of the present invention may be controlled, engineered, and / or tailored by controlling the mass, volume, thickness, spatial distribution, etc., of the thermal dopant contained in the durable sheet material, thereby providing an engineered or designed spatial pattern for heat exchange in and through the durable sheet material.

[0060] Embodiments of the present invention provide for the production of fungal textile materials, particularly fungal leather analogs, from intact, cohesive fungal biomass (e.g., a fungal biomat produced by a surface fermentation process or any other suitable process), size-reduced or homogenized fungal biomass, or any other physical form of fungal biomass, especially filamentous fungal biomass. The materials of the present invention generally include both inactivated fungal biomass and components selected from the group consisting of polymers, plasticizers, crosslinkers, and dyes, and the methods of the present invention allow such components to be introduced into the inactivated fungal biomass to produce a material with desired chemical, physical, and / or thermal properties. The materials of the present invention can generally be provided as durable sheet materials suitable for use in the same or similar applications as conventional textiles. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0061] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a generalized schematic diagram of a method for making a fungal textile material, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a generalized schematic diagram of a method for making a fungal textile material, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a generalized schematic diagram of a method for making a fungal textile material, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a generalized schematic diagram of a method for making a fungal textile material, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a generalized schematic diagram of a method for making a fungal textile material, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a generalized schematic diagram of a method for making a fungal textile material, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a graph of tensile strength of MK7 leather-like material as a function of glycerol content, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a graph of the breaking strain of MK7 leather-like material as a function of glycerol content, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a graph of swelling degree of MK7 leather-like material as a function of glycerol content, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a graph of mass loss after soaking of MK7 leather-like material as a function of glycerol content, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a graph of tensile strength of MK7 leather-like material as a function of loading ratio, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a graph of the breaking strain of MK7 leather-like material as a function of loading ratio, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a graph of swelling degree of MK7 leather-like material as a function of loading ratio, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a graph of mass loss after immersion of MK7 leather-like material as a function of loading ratio, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a graph of tensile strength of MK7 leather-like material as a function of polyvinyl alcohol:chitosan ratio, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a graph of the breaking strain of MK7 leather-like material as a function of polyvinyl alcohol:chitosan ratio, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a graph of the swelling degree of MK7 leather-like material as a function of polyvinyl alcohol:chitosan ratio, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a graph of mass loss after immersion of MK7 leather-like material as a function of polyvinyl alcohol:chitosan ratio, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19-1] 19A, 19B, 19C, and 19D are histograms of size-reduced fungal particles after blending in a conventional household blender for 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 40 seconds, and 60 seconds, respectively, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19-2]19A, 19B, 19C, and 19D are histograms of size-reduced fungal particles after blending in a conventional household blender for 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 40 seconds, and 60 seconds, respectively, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a graph of blend overrun, cooking overrun, overall overrun, and density of a solution of fungal particles in water as a function of charge ratio, according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0062] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "biodegradable" refers to a material that biodegrades more rapidly than "true" (i.e., animal) leather under a given set of conditions (e.g., those conditions set out in ISO 20136:2017 "Leather--determination of degradability by micro-organisms").

[0063] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "swelling index" refers to the amount of relative change in mass of a solid item when the solid is saturated with a liquid. As a non-limiting example, a solid item having a mass of 200 g when dry and a mass of 300 g when saturated with water has a swelling index in water of 50% or 0.5. When the term "swelling index" is used herein without explicitly identifying the liquid, it may be assumed that the liquid is water.

[0064] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "durable" refers to a material having at least one of a tear strength of at least about 5 N / mm, a tear force of at least about 5 N, and a tensile strength of at least about 1.5 MPa.

[0065] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "fungal biomass" refers to a mass of fungi that has been cultured, fermented, or grown by any suitable process. It should be expressly understood that fungal biomass can be produced by any of several methods known in the art and disclosed herein, including, but not limited to, surface fermentation methods, submerged fermentation methods, solid substrate submerged fermentation (SSSF) methods, and the method disclosed in PCT Application Publication WO 2019 / 099474 ("'474 Publication"), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0066] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the terms "hide leather" and "true leather" are interchangeable and refer to durable, flexible materials made by tanning animal hides or skins, respectively.

[0067] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "inactivated" refers to fungal biomass that has been killed or otherwise rendered non-actively growing by a suitable inactivation means, such as boiling, steaming, rinsing, irradiating, freezing, treating with an aqueous solution of at least 70% ethanol, treating with ethanol vapor, treating with base or otherwise increasing the pH (with or without heat), treating with acid or otherwise decreasing the pH (with or without heat), or mechanically disrupting or breaking down (e.g., blending or otherwise reducing in size). It should be expressly understood that fungal biomass may be inactivated during, in combination with, and / or as a result of another process step, such as a size reduction, mineralization, or demineralization step.

[0068] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "infiltration" refers to the impregnation of a mass of solid material with a solution, such as, but not limited to, a polymer solution infiltrating the void spaces in a fungal biomat of mycelium, so that the solution, or portions thereof, are dispersed throughout the mass of solid material. Without being bound by theory, infiltration of a fungal mycelium biomass with a solution containing components such as a polymer and a plasticizer results in a woven material having such components dispersed throughout the biomass after removal of the solvent by curing. Such dispersion may or may not be substantially uniformly dispersed.

[0069] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "loading ratio" refers to the weight ratio of fungal biomass to polymer in a fungal fabric composition.

[0070] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "mass loss upon immersion" refers to the relative amount of mass lost by a solid item after immersion in a liquid, ignoring the mass of liquid absorbed by the solid item. As a non-limiting example, a solid item that has a mass of 100 grams when dry and a mass of 95 grams after immersion in water (ignoring the mass of absorbed liquid) has a mass loss upon immersion in water of 5%. When the term "mass loss upon immersion" is used herein without explicitly identifying the liquid, it may be assumed that the liquid is water.

[0071] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "sheet" refers to a layer of solid material having a generally flat or planar shape and a large surface area to thickness ratio.

[0072] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "tannin" generally refers to any molecule that forms strong bonds with protein structures, more specifically, a molecule that, when applied to hide leather, binds tightly to protein moieties within the collagen structure of the skin, improving the strength and resistance to degradation of the leather. The most commonly used types of tannins are vegetable tannins, i.e., tannins extracted from trees and plants, and chromium tannins, such as chromium(III) sulfate. Other examples of tannins for which this term is used herein include modified naturally occurring polymers, biopolymers, and salts of metals other than chromium, such as aluminum silicates (sodium aluminum silicate, potassium aluminum silicate, etc.).

[0073]

[0013] Referring now to Figure 1, one embodiment of a method 100 for making a fungal textile material is illustrated. In a first step 110 of the method 100 illustrated in Figure 1, a fungal biomass is generated by any of several suitable methods, including, but not limited to, those described in PCT Application No. PCT / US2017 / 020050, filed February 28, 2017 (the "'050 Application"), PCT Application No. PCT / US2018 / 048626, filed August 29, 2018 (the "'626 Application"), U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 811,421, filed February 27, 2019 (the "'421 Application"), and the '474 Publication, all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. As described in the '050, '626, and '421 applications, fungal biomass can be grown by surface fermentation in an artificial medium to form an interwoven or interconnected aggregate structure of mycelium called a biomat. According to the methods described in the '050, '626, and '421 applications, in embodiments, it may be desirable to control the oil and / or lipid content of the fungal biomass by providing a growth medium having a preselected carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. In particular, fungal biomass production of certain lipids or oils, or certain amounts thereof, can result in a fungal textile material having certain desirable material characteristics, such as improved water resistance, reduced conditioning requirements, etc., which may be amenable to control, engineering, or regulation by providing a preselected carbon-to-nitrogen molar ratio in the fungal growth medium, which, in embodiments, may be from about 5 to about 20, or from about 7 to about 15. In some embodiments, the production of certain lipids or oils by the fungal biomass, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, eicosenoic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidonic acid, behenic acid, etc., may enable the use of certain polymers, solvents, etc. that may not otherwise be suitable for the practice of the present invention, thereby providing properties of the fungal textile material that may not otherwise be achievable, or may provide additional or alternative synergistic effects of this type.

[0074] In a second step 120, which may be present in the method 100 illustrated in Figure 1, the fungal biomass may be reduced in size by any suitable method, which may include, by non-limiting example, processing (e.g., in a blender, food processor, or similar size-reducing device), compacting (e.g., by moving jaws, rolls, gyratory cones, or similar compacting devices), impacting (e.g., by hammers, high-velocity jets of material, rollers, or similar impacting devices), and spray-drying. The size-reduction step may be carried out in any suitable device (e.g., a blender) for any suitable length of time (e.g., 2 minutes). During the size-reduction step, at least a portion of the interconnected or interwoven, cohesive mycelial network of the fungal biomass may disintegrate or be destroyed.

[0075] 1, the fungal biomass is mixed with a solution of a synthetic polymer and / or biopolymer. The synthetic polymer may be any synthetic polymer that is soluble in the selected solvent, which may, but need not be, water, and by way of non-limiting example, the synthetic polymer may be polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polysiloxane, polyphosphazene, low and / or high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, thermoplastic polyurethane, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polycaprolactone, polyacrylic acid, and / or one or more synthetic polymers sold under various brand names (e.g., Bakelite, Kevlar, Mylar, Neoprene, Nomex, Orlon, Rilsan, Technora, Teflon, Twaron, Ultem, Vectran, Viton, Zylon, etc.). A biopolymer can be any polymer molecule that is naturally produced by animals, plants, or fungi, non-limiting examples of which include cellulose, chitin, chitosan, collagen, fibroin, hyaluronic acid, keratin, alginate, starch, and combinations thereof. In embodiments, this solution (or another solution with which the biomat is combined, either in the same step or in a preceding or subsequent step) may also contain additional components, such as, but not limited to, plasticizers (e.g., glycerol and its esters, polyethylene glycol, citric acid, oleic acid, oleic acid polyols (e.g., mannitol, sorbitol) and their esters, epoxidized triglycerides of vegetable oils (e.g., from soybean oil), castor oil, pentaerythritol, fatty acid esters, carboxylic acid ester-based plasticizers, trimellitates, adipates, sebacates, maleates, biological plasticizers, and combinations and mixtures thereof) and / or crosslinkers (homobifunctional crosslinkers, heterobifunctional crosslinkers, photoreactive crosslinking agents, citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, extracted vegetable tannins, glyoxal, and combinations thereof). It should be expressly understood that the size reduction step (if present) and the mixing step can be performed simultaneously or sequentially in any order.

[0076] In the fourth step 140 of the method 100 illustrated in Figure 1, the biomass / solution mixture is agitated, typically at an elevated temperature (for non-limiting example, about 90°C to about 100°C). After agitation, the biomass / solution mixture may optionally be further mixed with a dye to provide the desired color to the fungal textile material. In some embodiments, the dye may be added earlier in the process.

[0077] 1, the biomat / solution mixture is cured, which may occur after it has been cast into the desired shape. The curing step may involve drying or initiating a chemical reaction, or may involve driving off the solvent of the solution.

[0078] 1, the cured material is heat pressed to form the desired fungal textile material. In embodiments, the fungal textile material may have at least one physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristic that mimics or closely resembles the physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristics of a conventional textile material, such as leather.

[0079] In certain embodiments of the methods of the present invention, the step of size reducing the fungal biomass (e.g., second step 120 illustrated in FIG. 1 ) may be omitted. In some such embodiments, the biomass (e.g., a biomat produced by the methods described in the '050, '626, and / or '421 applications) may or may not have been previously size reduced. In other embodiments, the biomass used may be biomass that does not require size reduction, such as fungal paste produced by submerged fermentation methods known and described in the art.

[0080] Referring now to Figure 2, another embodiment of a method 200 for making a fungal textile material is illustrated. In the first step 210 of the method 200 illustrated in Figure 2, a fungal biomass is generated and processed by any of several suitable methods, including, but not limited to, those described in the '050 application, the '626 application, the '421 application, and the '474 publication. The biomass may be boiled, rinsed, irradiated, and / or pressed to inactivate microorganisms and / or remove excess water and / or other liquids. The biomass may also be frozen, thereby extending the usable "shelf life" of the biomass, particularly if it is desirable or necessary to store the biomass for a period of time before performing subsequent steps.

[0081] In the second step 220 of the method 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 , the fungal biomass is thawed (if previously frozen), reduced in size by any suitable method, which may include, by way of non-limiting example, processing in a blender, food processor, mill, sonicator, or similar size-reducing device, and blended or otherwise homogenized with water and optional pigments to provide the desired color to the fungal textile material. The size-reducing substep may be carried out in any suitable device (e.g., a blender) for any suitable length of time (e.g., 2 minutes). The blending / homogenizing substep produces a viscous, substantially homogenous fungal paste. It should be expressly understood that the size-reducing substep and the blending / homogenizing substep may be carried out simultaneously, sequentially in the same vessel, or sequentially in different vessels; by way of non-limiting example, water and optional pigments may be added to the blender along with the fungal biomass prior to the size-reducing substep, and these components may be blended simultaneously in the blender, thereby allowing the size-reducing substep and the blending / homogenizing substep to be carried out simultaneously in the same vessel. In some embodiments, size reduction of the fungal biomass may also result in inactivation of the fungal biomass, for example, by disruption of the fungal cellular structure.

[0082] In a third step 230, which may be present in the method 200 illustrated in FIG. 2, the viscous, substantially homogeneous paste is degassed by any suitable method, which may include, by way of non-limiting example, one or more of stirring and vacuuming. Degassing the fungal material may provide improved qualities of the finished fungal textile product, including, but not limited to, a texture or "feel" that is more aesthetically pleasing to the user and / or more similar to the material being replicated (e.g., real leather). In some embodiments, degassing may be omitted, and in particular, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to leave at least some air bubbles or pockets in the fungal paste, as these may impart certain desirable thermal or insulating properties to the finished fungal textile material.

[0083] In the fourth step 240 of the method 200 illustrated in Figure 2, the fungal paste is mixed with a solution of a polymer in a selected solvent. The solvent can be, but need not be, water. The polymer can be, but need not be, a biopolymer, i.e., any polymer molecule naturally produced by animals, plants, or fungi, non-limiting examples of which include cellulose, chitin, chitosan, collagen, fibroin, hyaluronic acid, keratin, alginate, starch, and combinations thereof. In embodiments, this solution (or another solution with which the biomat is combined in the same step or in a preceding or subsequent step) may contain, in addition to or instead of the biopolymer, any of the solvent-soluble synthetic polymers (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polysiloxane, polyphosphazene, low-density and / or high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, thermoplastic polyurethane, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polycaprolactone, polyacrylic acid, and / or one or more synthetic polymers sold under various brand names (e.g., Bakelite, Kevlar, Mylar, Neoprene, Nomex, Orlon, Rilsan, Technora, Teflon, Twaron, Ultem, Vectran, Viton, Zylon, etc.) In further embodiments, the solution may include one or more additional components, such as a plasticizer (e.g., glycerol and its esters, polyethylene glycol, citric acid, oleic acid, oleic acid polyols (e.g., mannitol, sorbitol) and their esters, epoxidized triglycerides of vegetable oils (e.g., from soybean oil), castor oil, pentaerythritol, fatty acid esters, carboxylic acid ester-based plasticizers, trimellitates, adipates, sebacates, maleates, biological plasticizers, and combinations and mixtures thereof), a crosslinker (homobifunctional crosslinkers, heterobifunctional crosslinkers, photoreactive crosslinking agents, citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, extracted vegetable tannins, glyoxal, and combinations thereof), a solubilizer (e.g., hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, etc.), and / or a pH adjuster (e.g., hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, etc.).

[0084] The solution can be made by combining the polymer and solvent, and optionally one or more additional ingredients, in a container and heating the combination while stirring. In embodiments where the solution includes a solubilizer and / or pH adjuster, either or both of these may be added to the solution after the other ingredients have been heated and stirred. Preferably, the polymer (biopolymer, synthetic polymer, or a combination thereof) is completely dissolved in the solvent before mixing the solution with the optionally degassed fungal paste. The mixture can be heated (e.g., to about 90°C and / or to boiling) and / or stirred for a sufficient time to ensure a substantially homogeneous mixture, e.g., about 30 to about 45 minutes.

[0085] In a fifth step 250, which may be present in the method 200 illustrated in FIG. 2, the mixture produced in the fourth step is degassed by any suitable method, which may include, by way of non-limiting example, one or more of stirring and vacuuming. Degassing the mixture may provide improved qualities of the finished fungal textile product, including, but not limited to, a texture or "feel" that is more aesthetically pleasing to the user and / or more similar to the material being replicated (e.g., real leather). In some embodiments, degassing may be omitted, and in particular, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to leave at least some air bubbles or pockets in the mixture, as this may impart certain desirable thermal or insulating properties to the finished fungal textile material.

[0086] In a sixth step 260 of the method 200 illustrated in FIG. 2, the fungal mixture is cured, which may be after being cast into a desired shape (e.g., a flat or textured mold). The curing step may or may not involve hardening or initiation of a chemical reaction, and may or may not involve evaporating the solvent of the solution. The curing step may occur at room temperature under ambient air. Curing may be continued under conditions for a time sufficient to provide the desired mass and / or moisture content of the cured material (e.g., about 20% of the mass before drying / curing).

[0087] In a seventh step 270, which may be present in the method 200 illustrated in FIG. 2, the cured material may be heat-pressed to form the desired fungal woven material. In embodiments, the fungal woven material may have at least one physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristic that mimics or closely resembles the physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristics of a conventional woven material, such as leather. The temperature (e.g., about 100°C) and / or time (e.g., about 10 minutes to about 20 minutes) of the heat press may be selected to provide the desired physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristics. The fungal woven material may then be laminated to a textile backing, although this is not required; in these embodiments, a portion of the solution from the fourth step may, although not required, be utilized as an adhesive to adhere the fungal woven material to the textile backing.

[0088] Generally, in the methods illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, networks of fungal filaments are crosslinked to one another using a combination of a polymer (e.g., chitosan) and a crosslinker (e.g., citric acid). The polymer and crosslinker can form bonds via esterification reactions (between alcohol groups on the fungal filaments and / or polymer and carboxylic acid groups on the crosslinker and / or fungal filaments) and / or amidation reactions (between amide groups on the fungal filaments and / or polymer and carboxylic acid groups on the crosslinker and / or fungal filaments). These reactions can be catalyzed, for example, by acidic conditions and / or heat (e.g., in a heat-pressing process). Flexibility can be imparted to the finished fungal textile material through the use of plasticizers such as glycerol. The method of Figure 1 can be used in conjunction with both intact and size-reduced fungal biomass.

[0089] Referring now to FIG. 3, another embodiment of a method 300 for producing a fungal textile material is illustrated. In the calcification step 310 of the method 300 illustrated in FIG. 3, an inactivated fungal biomass is added to an aqueous mixture or solution of ingredients and agitated, for example, on a shaker table. The aqueous mixture or solution includes an aqueous solvent, typically approximately equal in mass to the mass of the fungal biomass, and a calcifying agent, most commonly calcium hydroxide (i.e., hydrated lime), in an amount of about 0.01% to about 6% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most commonly about 3% by weight, based on the weight of the fungal biomass. Optionally, the aqueous mixture or solution may further include a solubilizing agent or surfactant, such as a polysorbate, in an amount of about 0.01% to about 1% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most commonly about 0.2% by weight, based on the weight of the fungal biomass. Agitation may be carried out for any suitable time between about 1 minute and about 180 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 90 minutes.

[0090] Prior to step 310, the fungal biomass may be generated and processed by any of several suitable methods, including, but not limited to, those described in the '050 application, the '626 application, the '421 application, and the '474 publication, and may be boiled, rinsed, irradiated, and / or pressed to inactivate microorganisms and / or remove excess water and / or other liquids. Prior to step 310, the biomass may be frozen, which extends the usable "shelf life" of the biomass and can later be thawed, particularly if it is desirable or necessary to store the biomass for a period of time before performing subsequent steps.

[0091] Step 310 of method 300 illustrated in FIG. 3 may be performed on intact fungal biomass, e.g., a cohesive fungal biomat produced by surface fermentation, or on fungal biomass that has been previously reduced in size by any suitable method, which may include, by non-limiting example, processing in a blender, food processor, mill, sonicator, or similar size-reducing device. Any such size reduction may be performed in any suitable device (e.g., a blender) for any suitable length of time (e.g., 2 minutes). In some embodiments, the fungal biomass may be active prior to size reduction or may be inactivated as a result of size reduction, e.g., by disrupting the fungal cellular structure. More generally, it should be expressly understood that the fungal biomass may be inactivated during, in combination with, or as a result of any one or more other steps of method 300, e.g., mineralization step 310 (which raises the pH of the fungal biomass to at least about 7, or another pH high enough to kill the fungi) or any other subsequent step (especially if performed at elevated temperatures).

[0092] In the demineralization step 320 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3, the inactivated fungal biomass is added to an aqueous mixture or solution of ingredients and agitated, for example, on a shaker table. The aqueous mixture or solution includes an aqueous solvent, typically about half the mass of the starting (i.e., before step 310) fungal biomass, and a demineralizing agent, most commonly ammonium sulfate, in an amount of about 0.01% to about 6% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most commonly about 3% by weight, based on the weight of the starting (i.e., before step 310) fungal biomass. Optionally, the aqueous mixture or solution may further include a solubilizing agent or surfactant, such as a polysorbate, in an amount of about 0.01% to about 1% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most commonly about 0.2% by weight, based on the weight of the starting (i.e., before step 310) fungal biomass. Agitation may be carried out for any suitable time between about 1 minute and about 180 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 90 minutes.

[0093] In the acid soaking step 330 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3, the inactivated fungal biomass is mixed with a solution of a polymer in an aqueous solvent. The polymer can be, but need not be, a biopolymer, i.e., any polymer molecule naturally produced by animals, plants, or fungi, non-limiting examples of which include cellulose, chitin, chitosan, collagen, fibroin, hyaluronic acid, keratin, alginate, starch, and combinations thereof. In embodiments, this solution (or another solution with which the inactivated fungal biomass is combined, in the same step, or in a preceding or subsequent step) may contain, in addition to or in place of the biopolymer, any of a solvent-soluble synthetic polymer (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polysiloxane, polyphosphazene, low-density and / or high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, thermoplastic polyurethane, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polycaprolactone, polyacrylic acid, and / or one or more synthetic polymers sold under various brand names (e.g., Bakelite, Kevlar, Mylar, Neoprene, Nomex, Orlon, Rilsan, Technora, Teflon, Twaron, Ultem, Vectran, Viton, Zylon, etc.). In further embodiments, the solution may include one or more additional components, such as a plasticizer (e.g., glycerol and its esters, polyethylene glycol, citric acid, oleic acid, oleic acid polyols (e.g., mannitol, sorbitol) and their esters, epoxidized triglycerides of vegetable oils (e.g., from soybean oil), castor oil, pentaerythritol, fatty acid esters, carboxylic acid ester-based plasticizers, trimellitates, adipates, sebacates, maleates, biological plasticizers, and combinations thereof), a crosslinker (homobifunctional crosslinkers, heterobifunctional crosslinkers, photoreactive crosslinking agents, citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, extracted vegetable tannins, glyoxal, and combinations thereof), a solubilizer (e.g., hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, etc.), and / or a pH adjuster (e.g., hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, etc.).An alkali metal halide (eg, sodium chloride) may be provided to prevent swelling of the inactivated fungal biomass.

[0094] The solution can be made by combining the polymer and solvent, optionally with one or more additional ingredients, in a container and stirring or agitating the combination while heating the combination. In embodiments where the solution includes a solubilizer and / or pH adjuster, either or both of these may be added to the solution after the other ingredients have been heated and stirred. Preferably, the polymer (biopolymer, synthetic polymer, or a combination thereof) is completely dissolved in the solvent before mixing the solution with the optionally degassed fungal paste. The mixture can be heated (e.g., to about 90°C and / or to boiling) and / or stirred for a time sufficient to ensure a substantially homogeneous mixture, e.g., from about 1 minute to about 240 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most typically from about 30 minutes to about 45 minutes, or 120 minutes.

[0095] The polymer solution to which the inactivated fungal biomass is added in step 330 of method 300 typically comprises a mass of aqueous solvent roughly equivalent to the mass of the starting (i.e., prior to step 310) fungal biomass and a polymer in an amount of about 0.01% to about 10% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most typically about 1% by weight, relative to the starting (i.e., prior to step 310) fungal biomass. Other components, if present during step 330, may be provided in any suitable amount, including, but not limited to, a solubilizing agent or pH adjuster in an amount of about 0.01% to about 10% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most typically about 0.5% to about 2.5% by weight, relative to the starting (i.e., prior to step 310) fungal biomass, and an alkali metal halide in an amount of about 0.01% to about 14% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most typically about 7% by weight, relative to the starting (i.e., prior to step 310) fungal biomass.

[0096] In the tanning step 340 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3, the inactivated fungal biomass from the pickling step 330 is added to an aqueous solution containing a cross-linking agent or tanning agent and agitated, for example, on a shaker table. The aqueous solution typically contains an aqueous solvent whose mass is approximately equal to the mass of the starting (i.e., before step 310) fungal biomass, and a cross-linking agent or tanning agent, such as citric acid and / or tannic acid, in an amount of about 0.01% to about 12% by weight, most typically about 5% by weight, based on the weight of the starting (i.e., before step 310) fungal biomass. Agitation may be carried out for any suitable time between about 1 minute and about 360 minutes, or any subrange between these values, most typically about 180 minutes.

[0097] 3, the method 300 may optionally include one or more rinsing steps in which the inactivated fungal biomass is rinsed with water to remove excess aqueous solution after any one or more of the mineralizing step 310, the demineralizing step 320, the pickling step 330, and the tanning step 340. The rinsing step may include draining excess aqueous solution from a container (e.g., a shaker flask) containing the inactivated fungal biomass, refilling the container with water, agitating the container, and draining the water from the container.

[0098] In the plasticization step 350 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3, the inactivated fungal biomass is added to an aqueous solution containing a plasticizer and agitated, for example, on a shaker table. The aqueous solution typically includes an aqueous solvent whose mass is approximately equal to the mass of the starting (i.e., before step 310) fungal biomass, and a plasticizer, such as glycerol, in an amount of about 0.01% to about 50% by weight, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 25% by weight, based on the weight of the starting (i.e., before step 310) fungal biomass. Agitation may be performed for any suitable time between about 1 minute to about 180 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 90 minutes. In some embodiments, the plasticizing step 350 may be a fatliquoring step, i.e., the plasticizer may be a fatliquoring oil such as sulfated castor oil, beeswax, coconut oil, vegetable oil, olive oil, linseed oil, oleic acid, sulfated fish oil, sulfated rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, fatty acids, or combinations thereof.

[0099] In the drying step 360 of the method 300 illustrated in FIG. 3 , the inactivated fungal biomass is dried, which, if produced from a size-reduced fungal biomass, may occur after being cast into a desired shape (e.g., a flat or textured mold). The drying step may or may not involve the initiation of a chemical reaction, but generally involves driving off at least a majority of any remaining water, solvents, and other liquids from the inactivated fungal biomass. Drying may be passive (i.e., at room temperature, without the use of blowers, fans, etc.) or active (i.e., under heat and / or the use of forced air, dry milling, etc.), and if drying is active, the temperature may be elevated to a desired temperature above room temperature, most typically about 80°F, and / or any suitable air-forcing means (e.g., blowers, fans, forced air extractors, etc.). In some embodiments, at least a portion of the fungal material may be clamped or otherwise pressed to reduce shrinkage. Curing may be continued under conditions for a time sufficient to provide the desired mass and / or moisture content of the cured material (e.g., about 20% of the mass before drying / curing), which in embodiments may be from about 1 minute to about 2 days, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 1 day.

[0100] In the heat-pressing step 370 of the method 300 illustrated in FIG. 3, the inactivated fungal biomass is heat-pressed to form the desired fungal textile material. In embodiments, the fungal textile material can have at least one physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristic that mimics or closely resembles the physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristics of a conventional textile material, such as leather; in particular, the heat-pressing step can be configured to impart a leather-like texture to the fungal textile material. The temperature (e.g., about 100°C) and / or time (e.g., about 1 minute to about 20 minutes, most commonly about 10 minutes) of the heat press can be selected to provide the desired physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristics. The fungal textile material can then be laminated to a non-fungal textile backing, although this is not required.

[0101] Referring now to Figure 4, another embodiment of a method 400 for making a fungal textile material is illustrated. In an inactivation step 405, the fungal biomass is inactivated so that the fungus does not actively grow and metabolize. This inactivation can generally be effected by boiling the fungal biomass in a volume of water sufficient to completely submerge or surround the fungal biomass, which boiling is typically carried out for a period of about 1 minute to about 60 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most commonly about 30 minutes. Of course, the inactivation step 405 may also be carried out by any other suitable means, such as irradiation, freezing, size reduction, or a combination thereof, with or without boiling.

[0102] Prior to step 405, the fungal biomass may have been produced and processed by any of several suitable methods, including, but not limited to, those described in the '050 application, the '626 application, the '421 application, and the '474 publication. In particular, if it is desirable or necessary to store the biomass for a period of time before performing subsequent steps, the biomass may be frozen prior to step 405, thereby extending the usable "shelf life" of the biomass, which may then be thawed.

[0103] Step 405 of method 400 illustrated in Figure 4 may be performed on intact fungal biomass, e.g., a cohesive fungal biomat produced by surface fermentation, or on fungal biomass that has been previously size-reduced by any suitable method, which may include, by non-limiting example, processing in a blender, food processor, mill, sonicator, or similar size-reducing device. Any such size reduction may be performed in any suitable device (e.g., a blender) for any suitable length of time (e.g., 2 minutes). In some embodiments, the fungal biomass may be active prior to size reduction, or may be inactivated as a result of size reduction, e.g., by disrupting the fungal cellular structure.

[0104] Step 405 typically includes dissolving, mixing, or suspending the inactivated fungal biomass in the aqueous solvent, and may also include adding a solubilizing agent or surfactant, such as polysorbate, to the inactivated fungal biomass and combining the solubilizing agent or surfactant with the inactivated fungal biomass, for example, by agitation. The mass of the aqueous solvent typically ranges from about half to about six times the mass of the inactivated fungal biomass, most typically about three times. The solubilizing agent or surfactant may be provided in an amount of about 0.01% to about 1% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most typically about 0.2% by weight, based on the weight of the fungal biomass. Agitation or other mechanical manipulation to combine the inactivated fungal biomass with the aqueous solvent, and optionally the solubilizing agent or surfactant, may occur for a period of about 1 minute to about 60 minutes, or any subrange between these values, most typically about 30 minutes.

[0105] In the calcification step 415 of the method 400 illustrated in FIG. 4, the inactivated fungal biomass is added to an aqueous mixture or solution of ingredients and agitated, for example, on a shaker table. The aqueous mixture or solution includes an aqueous solvent, typically approximately equal in mass to the mass of the fungal biomass, and a calcifying agent, most commonly calcium hydroxide (i.e., hydrated lime), in an amount of about 0.01% to about 10% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most commonly about 3% by weight, based on the weight of the fungal biomass. Optionally, the aqueous mixture or solution may further include a solubilizing agent or surfactant, such as a polysorbate, in an amount of about 0.01% to about 1% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most commonly about 0.2% by weight, based on the weight of the fungal biomass. Agitation may be performed for any suitable time between about 1 minute and about 300 minutes, or any subrange between these values, most commonly about 150 minutes.

[0106] In the demineralization step 425 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4, the inactivated fungal biomass is added to an aqueous mixture or solution of ingredients and agitated, for example, on a shaker table. The aqueous mixture or solution includes an aqueous solvent, typically about half the mass of the starting (i.e., before step 405) fungal biomass, and a demineralizing agent, most commonly ammonium sulfate or ammonium chloride, in an amount of about 0.01% to about 10% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most commonly about 3% by weight, based on the weight of the starting (i.e., before step 405) fungal biomass. Optionally, the aqueous mixture or solution may further include a solubilizing agent or surfactant, such as a polysorbate, in an amount of about 0.01% to about 0.4% by weight, or any subrange between these values, most commonly about 0.2% by weight, based on the weight of the starting (i.e., before step 405) fungal biomass. Agitation may be carried out for any suitable time between about 1 minute and about 150 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 75 minutes.

[0107] In the acid soaking step 435 of the method 400 illustrated in FIG. 4, the inactivated fungal biomass is mixed with an acid, most commonly hydrochloric acid or other pH adjuster. Sufficient pH adjuster is added to achieve a target pH of about 4.0 or less, typically about 0.5 to about 3.5, more typically about 1.0 to about 3.0, even more typically about 1.5 to about 2.5, and most typically about 2.0. It is generally desirable to select a molar and / or molality of the acid or concentration of the pH adjuster in the aqueous medium such that this target pH is achieved by adding a preselected mass or volume of acid or liquid solution. The aqueous solution of acid or pH adjuster may further contain an alkali metal halide, such as sodium chloride, to prevent swelling of the fungal biomass. The alkali metal halide may be present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 14% by weight, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 7% by weight, based on the starting (i.e., prior to step 405) fungal biomass. The inactivated fungal biomass may be agitated with the acid and / or pH adjuster, and optionally with an alkali metal halide, for a period of about 1 minute to about 180 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 90 minutes.

[0108] In the tanning step 445 of the method 400 illustrated in FIG. 4, a first cross-linking or tanning agent is added to the inactivated fungal biomass, and the combination is agitated, for example, in a drum or on a shaker table. The cross-linking or tanning agent, in embodiments, may include an aldehyde, an aluminum salt, a chromium salt, or a titanium salt, but typically includes aluminum silicate. The cross-linking or tanning agent may generally be provided in an amount of about 0.01% to about 15% by weight, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 1.5% to about 7.5% by weight, based on the weight of the starting fungal biomass (i.e., before step 405). Agitation may be performed for any suitable time between about 1 minute and about 180 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 30 minutes to about 150 minutes. During agitation, a base or other pH adjuster, such as sodium hydroxide, may generally be added, either in one or more portions, to achieve and / or maintain a target pH, which in embodiments is generally about 2.0 to about 6.0, typically about 2.5 to about 5.5, more typically about 3.0 to about 5.0, even more typically about 3.5 to about 4.5, and most typically about 4.0.

[0109] 4, method 400 may optionally include one or more rinsing steps in which the inactivated fungal biomass is rinsed with water to remove excess aqueous solution after any one or more of the mineralizing step 415, the demineralizing step 425, and the tanning step 445. The rinsing step may include draining excess aqueous solution from a container (e.g., a shaker flask) containing the inactivated fungal biomass, refilling the container with water, agitating the container, and draining the water from the container.

[0110] In the re-tanning step 455 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4, a second cross-linking or tanning agent is added to the inactivated fungal biomass and the combination is agitated, for example, in a drum or on a shaker table. The second cross-linking or tanning agent, in embodiments, may include, for example, citric acid, and may be provided in an amount of about 0.01% to about 6% by weight, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 3% by weight, based on the weight of the starting (i.e., prior to step 410) fungal biomass. Agitation may be carried out for any suitable time between about 1 minute to about 480 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 60 minutes.

[0111] Retanning step 455 may optionally include additional substeps to impart additional substances or characteristics to the inactivated fungal biomass, and thus the finished fungal textile material. As a first, non-limiting example, the inactivated fungal biomass may be mixed with an aqueous solution of any polymer disclosed herein and agitated, for example, in a drum or on a shaker table. The polymer may be provided in an amount of about 0.01% to about 30% by weight, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 0.5% to about 5% by weight, based on the weight of the starting (i.e., prior to step 410) fungal biomass. Agitation may be performed for any suitable time between about 1 minute and about 480 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 60 minutes. As a second non-limiting example, a dye, such as an anionic dye, may be added to the inactivated fungal biomass, and the combination may be agitated, for example, in a drum or on a shaker table, for a time sufficient to impart the desired color to the inactivated fungal biomass (typically from about 1 minute to about 240 minutes, or any subrange therebetween, most typically about 120 minutes). The addition of optional ingredients (e.g., polymer, dye, etc.) may occur before, after, or simultaneously with the addition of the second crosslinking or tanning agent.

[0112] Acids, bases, and / or other pH adjusters may be added to maintain a target pH throughout re-tanning step 455. As a first non-limiting example, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to begin re-tanning step 455 at an initial pH of about 2.0 to about 6.0 (more typically about 2.5 to about 5.5, more typically about 3.0 to about 5.0, more typically about 3.5 to about 4.5, and most typically about 4.0) and gradually increase the pH to about 3.5 to about 7.5 (more typically about 4.0 to about 7.0, more typically about 4.5 to about 6.5, more typically about 5.0 to about 6.0, and most typically about 5.5) by adding base or other pH-raising agents in one or more aliquots during agitation. As a second non-limiting example, if the retanning step 455 includes the addition of a polymer, in some embodiments it may be desirable to maintain a pH of about 3.5 to about 7.5 (more typically about 4.0 to about 7.0, more typically about 4.5 to about 6.5, more typically about 5.0 to about 6.0, most typically about 5.5) while agitating the inactivated fungal biomass with the polymer.

[0113] The polymer may, but need not, be a biopolymer, i.e., any polymer molecule produced naturally by animals, plants, or fungi, non-limiting examples of which include cellulose, chitin, chitosan, collagen, fibroin, hyaluronic acid, keratin, alginate, starch, and combinations thereof. In embodiments, this solution (or another solution with which the inactivated fungal biomass is combined, in the same step, or in a preceding or subsequent step) may contain, in addition to or in place of the biopolymer, any of a solvent-soluble synthetic polymer (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polysiloxane, polyphosphazene, low-density and / or high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, thermoplastic polyurethane, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, polycaprolactone, polyacrylic acid, and / or one or more synthetic polymers sold under various brand names (e.g., Bakelite, Kevlar, Mylar, Neoprene, Nomex, Orlon, Rilsan, Technora, Teflon, Twaron, Ultem, Vectran, Viton, Zylon, etc.). In further embodiments, the solution may include one or more additional components, such as a plasticizer (e.g., glycerol and its esters, polyethylene glycol, citric acid, oleic acid, oleic acid polyols (e.g., mannitol, sorbitol) and their esters, epoxidized triglycerides of vegetable oils (e.g., from soybean oil), castor oil, pentaerythritol, fatty acid esters, carboxylic acid ester-based plasticizers, trimellitates, adipates, sebacates, maleates, biological plasticizers, and combinations and mixtures thereof), a crosslinker (homobifunctional crosslinkers, heterobifunctional crosslinkers, photoreactive crosslinking agents, citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, extracted vegetable tannins, glyoxal, and combinations thereof), a solubilizer (e.g., hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, etc.), and / or a pH adjuster (e.g., hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, etc.). An alkali metal halide (eg, sodium chloride) may be provided to prevent swelling of the inactivated fungal biomass.

[0114] The solution can be made by combining the polymer and solvent, optionally with one or more additional ingredients, in a container and stirring or agitating the combination while heating the combination. In embodiments where the solution includes a solubilizing agent and / or a pH adjuster, either or both of these may be added to the solution after the other ingredients have been heated and stirred. Preferably, the polymer (biopolymer, synthetic polymer, or a combination thereof) is completely dissolved in the solvent before mixing the solution with the inactivated fungal biomass. The mixture can be heated (e.g., to about 90°C and / or to boiling) and / or stirred for a sufficient time to ensure a substantially homogeneous mixture, e.g., from about 1 minute to about 240 minutes, most typically from about 30 minutes to about 45 minutes, or 120 minutes.

[0115] In the plasticization step 465 of the method 400 illustrated in FIG. 4, a plasticizer is added to the inactivated fungal biomass and the combination is agitated, for example, in a drum or on a shaker table. In embodiments, the plasticization step may be a fatliquoring step, i.e., the plasticizer may include a fatliquoring oil, such as sulfated castor oil, beeswax, coconut oil, vegetable oil, olive oil, linseed oil, oleic acid, sulfated fish oil, sulfated rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, fatty acids, or combinations thereof, and may be provided in any suitable amount. Agitation may be performed for any suitable time between about 1 minute and about 120 minutes, or any subrange between these values, most typically about 60 minutes. The plasticizer may be provided as an emulsion, particularly when the plasticizer is a traditional leather fatliquoring oil; in some such embodiments, the plasticization step 465 may be completed by adding an acid, such as hydrochloric acid, to the emulsion to split the emulsion and facilitate drainage and removal of the plasticizer.

[0116] In the backing step 475 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4, at least one backing layer of a non-fungal textile material is applied to and adhered to the inactivated fungal biomass. The non-fungal textile material, in embodiments, may include any one or more of acrylic textiles, alpaca textiles, angora textiles, cashmere textiles, coir textiles, cotton textiles, eisengarn textiles, hemp textiles, jute textiles, Kevlar textiles, linen textiles, microfiber textiles, mohair textiles, nylon textiles, olefin textiles, pashmina textiles, polyester textiles, piña textiles, ramie textiles, rayon textiles, sea silk textiles, silk textiles, sisal textiles, spandex textiles, spider silk textiles, and wool textiles. The adhesive may be any suitable laminating adhesive used in textiles, such as polyvinyl acetate, and in some embodiments may include any suitable amount of a crosslinker or plasticizer, such as citric acid.

[0117] In the heat-pressing step 485 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4, the inactivated fungal biomass is heat-pressed with a non-fungal textile backing. In embodiments, the fungal textile material may have at least one physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristic that mimics or closely resembles the physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristics of a conventional textile material, such as leather, and in particular, the heat-pressing step may be configured to impart a leather-like texture to the fungal textile material. The temperature (e.g., about 100°C) and / or time (e.g., about 1 minute to about 20 minutes, most typically about 10 minutes) of the heat press may be selected to provide the desired physical, mechanical, and / or aesthetic characteristics.

[0118] In the drying step 495 of the method 400 illustrated in FIG. 4, the inactivated fungal biomass is dried, optionally after it has been cast into a desired shape (e.g., a flat or textured mold) to form a fungal woven material. The drying step may or may not involve the initiation of a chemical reaction, but generally involves driving off at least a majority of any remaining water, solvents, and other liquids from the inactivated fungal biomass. Drying may be passive (i.e., at room temperature, without the use of blowers, fans, etc.) or active (i.e., under heat and / or the use of forced air); if drying is active, the temperature may be elevated to a desired temperature above room temperature, most typically about 80°F, and / or any suitable air-forcing means (e.g., blowers, fans, forced air extractors, etc.). In some embodiments, at least a portion of the fungal material may be clamped or otherwise pressed to reduce shrinkage. Curing may be continued under conditions for a time sufficient to provide the desired mass and / or moisture content of the cured material (e.g., about 18% of the mass before drying / curing), which in embodiments may be from about 1 minute to about 2 days, most typically about 1 day.

[0119] Although not shown in Figure 4, method 400 may include at least one additional post-processing or final handling step. In particular, one or more traditional leather finishing waxes or oils (e.g., carnauba wax, candelilla wax), or nitrocellulose, may be added to the fungal textile material in any suitable amount and for any suitable time.

[0120] Referring now to Figure 5, another embodiment of a method 500 for making a fungal textile material is illustrated. In an inactivation step 510 of the method 500 illustrated in Figure 5, the fungal biomass is inactivated, e.g., as described herein with respect to the inactivation step 405 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4. In a mineralization step 520 of the method 500 illustrated in Figure 5, the inactivated fungal biomass is mineralized, e.g., as described herein with respect to the mineralization step 310 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3 and / or the mineralization step 415 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4. In a demineralization step 530 of the method 500 illustrated in Figure 5, the inactivated fungal biomass is demineralized, e.g., as described herein with respect to the demineralization step 320 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3 and / or the demineralization step 425 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4.

[0121] In the acid soaking step 540 of the method 500 illustrated in Figure 5, the inactivated fungal biomass is acidified, for example, as described herein with respect to the acid soaking step 330 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3 and / or the acid soaking step 435 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4. However, one difference in the acid soaking step 540 of the method 500 illustrated in Figure 5 relative to the acid soaking steps of other embodiments is that at least two aliquots of a cross-linking agent, e.g., tannic acid, are added to the combination of the inactivated fungal biomass and the polymer solution, or vice versa, such that the inactivated fungal biomass may be contacted with the polymer solution before, simultaneously with, or after contacting the first aliquot of cross-linking agent but before, simultaneously with, or after contacting the second aliquot of cross-linking agent. In this manner, method 500 of FIG. 5 may, in some sense, combine the pickling, tanning, and re-tanning steps, e.g., steps 330 and 340 of method 300, and / or steps 435, 445, and 455 of method 400, into a single process that includes the pickling, tanning, and re-tanning sub-steps.

[0122] In the neutralization step 550 of the method 500 illustrated in Figure 5, the pH of the inactivated fungal biomass is neutralized by contacting the inactivated fungal biomass with a pH adjusting agent, which in most embodiments is a basic pH neutralizing agent, such as sodium bicarbonate, but in some embodiments may be an acidic pH neutralizing agent. The pH neutralizing agent may be provided as part of an aqueous solution and (although not required) may be provided in an amount suitable to provide a pH of about 7. As with the other steps, the neutralization step 550 may be performed by agitation, for example, in a shaker flask.

[0123] In a plasticizing step 560 of the method 500 illustrated in Figure 5, the inactivated fungal biomass is plasticized, e.g., as described herein with respect to the plasticizing step 350 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3 and / or the plasticizing step 465 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4. In a heat-pressing step 570 of the method 500 illustrated in Figure 5, the inactivated fungal biomass is heat-pressed, e.g., as described herein with respect to the heat-pressing step 370 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3 and / or the heat-pressing step 485 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4.

[0124] Referring now to Figure 6, another embodiment of a method 600 for making a fungal textile material is illustrated. In an inactivation step 610 of the method 600 illustrated in Figure 6, a fungal biomass is inactivated, for example, as described herein with respect to the inactivation step 405 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4. Separately, in a polymer solution preparation step 615 of the method 600 illustrated in Figure 6, a polymer solution is prepared, for example, as described herein with respect to the pickling step 330 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3. In a combination step 620 of the method 600 illustrated in Figure 6, the inactivated fungal biomass is combined with a polymer solution, for example, as described herein with respect to the pickling step 330 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3 and / or the pickling step 435 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4. In an initial drying step 630 of the method 600 illustrated in Figure 6, the inactivated fungal biomass is dried, for example, as described herein with respect to drying step 360 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3 and / or drying step 495 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4. In a laminating step 640 of the method 600 illustrated in Figure 6, the inactivated fungal biomass is laminated by any suitable method with one or more other inactivated fungal biomass and / or layers of non-fungal textile material to form a composite fungal sheet. In a heat-pressing step 650 of the method 600 illustrated in Figure 6, the composite fungal sheet is heat-pressed, for example, as described herein with respect to heat-pressing step 370 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3 and / or heat-pressing step 485 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4. In a finishing step 660 of the method 600 illustrated in Figure 6, one or more traditional leather finishing waxes or oils (e.g., carnauba wax, candelilla wax), or nitrocellulose, may be added to the composite fungal sheet in any suitable amount and for any suitable time. In a final drying step 670 of the method 600 illustrated in Figure 6, the composite fungal sheet is dried to form a fungal textile material, for example, as described herein with respect to drying step 360 of the method 300 illustrated in Figure 3 and / or drying step 495 of the method 400 illustrated in Figure 4.

[0125] Generally, the methods illustrated in Figures 3-5 utilize a series of chemical washes performed under agitation to increase the diffusion of chemical species into the fungal structure and soften the feel of the finished fungal textile material. The mineralization step in these methods swells the matrix of the fungal structure and cleaves certain fungal proteins, allowing better dispersion of chemical species to the fungus and exposing chemically active sites for reaction in subsequent process steps. At this time, vegetable tannins can come into play to form large hydrogen-bonding networks, which crosslink the fungal structure and provide the strength, color, odor, and / or chemical stability characteristics of true leather. As in the methods illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a reinforcing polymer (e.g., chitosan) and another non-tannin crosslinker (e.g., citric acid) can be used; in addition to having the effects described above with respect to Figures 1 and 2, the reinforcing polymer and non-tannin crosslinker can form a complex with the tannin crosslinker. Similarly, plasticizers (e.g., glycerol) can also be incorporated into the method.

[0126]

[0023] One or more filamentous fungi belonging to a phylum selected from the group consisting of, but not limited to, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota; one or more filamentous fungi belonging to an order selected from the group consisting of Spatholophicales, Russulares, Agaricales, Agaricales, and Hypocreales; one or more filamentous fungi belonging to a family selected from the group consisting of Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, Spatholophaceae, and Spatholophaceae; one or more filamentous fungi belonging to a family selected from the group consisting of Agaricus, Spatholophus ... one or more filamentous fungi belonging to a genera selected from the group consisting of Umbilical Coral, Ganoderma lucidum, Grifola frondosa, Coral Blossom, Agaricus blazei, Hypoallergenic Morel, Suillus edodes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus sparassis, Pleurotus erythrorhizus, and Ustilago; and / or Ustilago esculenta, It should be expressly understood that any one or more filamentous fungi may be suitably used to form the fungal textile material of the present invention, including one or more filamentous fungi belonging to a species selected from the group consisting of: Hericium erinaceum, Atractylodes oryzae, Grifola frondosa, Bunashimeji, Hypsizygus ulmoides, Yukiwari, Nameko, Oncorhynchus nigricans, Tsukuritake, Saketsubatake, Kuritake, Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus ostreatus var. columbinus, Siberian ash, Morel, Acrocephalus oryzae, Morchella importuna, Sparassis crispa, Fusarium venenatum, MK7 ATCC Deposit No. PTA-10698, Crab mushroom, and Cordyceps pulcherrimus.

[0127] In the practice of the present invention, the inactivated fungal biomass is immersed in or agitated with a solution of the polymer, plasticizer, and / or crosslinker for a time sufficient to allow the polymer, plasticizer, and / or crosslinker to soak into and / or saturate the mat, generally at least about 1 hour. After immersion in and / or agitation with the solution, the wet mat is removed from the solution (wherein excess solution may be removed from one or more surfaces of the mat).

[0128] Plasticizers suitable for use in the fungal textile materials of the present invention include, but are not limited to, glycerol and its esters, polyethylene glycol, citric acid, oleic acid, oleic acid polyols (e.g., mannitol, sorbitol) and their esters, epoxidized triglycerides of vegetable oils (e.g., from soybean oil), castor oil, pentaerythritol, fatty acid esters, carboxylic acid ester-based plasticizers, trimellitates, adipates, sebacates, maleates, biological plasticizers, and combinations and mixtures thereof. In the practice of the present invention, the plasticizer is typically present in the fungal textile material in an amount of about 0.5% to about 50% by weight, or any subrange therebetween, including, by way of non-limiting example, about 50%, about 37.5%, about 25%, or about 12.5% ​​by weight.

[0129] Suitable polymers for use in the fungal textile materials of the present invention include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polyethylene glycol, polycaprolactone, polyacrylic acid, hyaluronic acid, alginate, and combinations and mixtures thereof. In embodiments, two or more polymers may be included in any weight ratio from about 99:1 to about 1:99, typically about 99:1, about 90:10, about 80:20, about 70:30, about 60:40, about 50:50, about 40:60, about 30:70, about 20:80, about 10:90, or about 1:99, more typically about 50:50. The loading ratio of the textile composition can be any value between about 99:1 and about 1:99, typically about 99:1, about 95:5, about 90:10, about 85:15, about 80:20, about 75:25, about 70:30, about 65:35, about 60:40, about 55:45, about 50:50, about 45:55, about 40:60, about 35:65, about 30:70, about 25:75, about 20:80, about 15:85, about 10:90, about 5:95, and about 1:99, more typically about 70:30.

[0130] Cross-linking agents suitable for use in the fungal textile materials of the present invention include, but are not limited to, citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, extracted vegetable tannins, glyoxal, and combinations and mixtures thereof. In embodiments, the fungal textile materials may comprise proteins cross-linked by isopeptide bonds, the formation of which, in some embodiments, may be catalyzed by transglutaminase.

[0131] The relative amounts of filamentous fungi, plasticizers, polymers, crosslinkers, additional ingredients, etc. in the fungal textile material of the present invention may be selected to provide the fungal textile material with one or more desired physical, mechanical, sensory (e.g., olfactory, tactile, etc.), and / or aesthetic characteristics. In embodiments, scented additives, such as leather perfume oils, may be added to the fungal textile material to provide the fungal textile material with a desired olfactory characteristic, such as a leathery aroma.

[0132] The filamentous fungi may comprise about 20% to 90% of the fungal textile material, or any subrange therebetween. In some embodiments, the filamentous fungi may comprise about 25% to 85%, about 30% to 80%, or about 35% to 75% of the fungal textile material. For example, in a non-limiting example, in some embodiments, the filamentous fungi may comprise about 40% to about 60% by weight of the fungal textile material.

[0133] As a further non-limiting example, one or more polymers (e.g., chitosan) can comprise about 1% to about 40% by weight of the fungal woven material, or any subrange therebetween, or about 5% to about 20% by weight. As a third non-limiting example, one or more crosslinkers (e.g., citric acid) can comprise about 0.01% to about 8% by weight of the fungal woven material, or any subrange therebetween, or about 0.05% to about 6% by weight, or about 0.1% to about 4% by weight. As a fourth non-limiting example, one or more plasticizers (e.g., glycerol) can comprise about 0.5% to about 80% by weight of the fungal woven material, or any subrange therebetween, or about 9% to about 60% by weight, or about 17.5% to about 40% by weight.

[0134] Embodiments of the present invention include fungal textile materials, particularly fungal leather-like materials, with engineered and / or tuned thermal properties. As a first, non-limiting example, the thermal effusivity of a fungal textile material, i.e., the rate at which the fungal textile material exchanges heat with its surroundings, can be engineered or tuned using the present invention. As a second, non-limiting example, the thermal conductivity of a fungal textile material, i.e., the amount of heat transferred through the fungal textile material, can be engineered or tuned using the present invention. As a third, non-limiting example, the heat capacity, i.e., the amount of heat supplied to a given mass of fungal textile material to produce a unit change in temperature, can be engineered or tuned using the present invention. The volumetric heat capacity of a fungal textile material, i.e., the amount of heat a volume of fungal textile material can store, can be engineered or tuned using the present invention. The ability to thermally engineer and / or tailor a fungal textile material allows the fungal textile material to have a desired "thermal feel," thereby representing a significant improvement over prior art fungal textile materials or other non-animal textile materials that frequently suffer from the drawback of feeling "cold" to the user (i.e., having poor thermal properties) and / or providing insufficient insulation to the wearer of, for example, an article of clothing made from the fungal textile material; thus, the present invention makes it possible to create fungal textiles that, for example, retain a greater amount of heat and thereby are suitable for use in articles of winter clothing. One further advantage and benefit of the present invention is the ability to produce woven materials that may have combinations of two or more of these or other thermal properties not achievable with conventional woven materials, for example, one thermal property may be increased while one or more other thermal properties are increased, held constant, or decreased, and / or one thermal property may be held constant while one or more other thermal properties are increased, held constant, or decreased, and / or one thermal property may be decreased while one or more other thermal properties are increased, held constant, or decreased.

[0135] The thermal properties of the fungal woven materials of the present invention can be engineered or adjusted by including a thermal dopant within the fungal woven material. Suitable thermal dopants for use in the fungal woven materials of the present invention include materials that modify one or more of the thermal effusivity, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity of the fungal woven material compared to the fungal woven material without the thermal dopant. Such thermal dopants may include, but are not necessarily limited to, polymeric, ceramic, and metallic materials with known thermal properties, and / or any other material with desired heat conduction and / or heat penetration properties. Further non-limiting examples of thermal dopants suitable for use in the present invention include activated carbon, aluminum oxide, bentonite, diatomaceous earth, ethylene vinyl acetate, lignin, nanosilica, polycaprolactone, polylactic acid, silicone, and yttrium oxide. In some embodiments, the thermal dopant may comprise an engineered coating and / or an engineered spatial distribution of thermally conductive and / or insulating materials throughout the fungal woven material to produce a preselected thermal profile.

[0136] In practicing the present invention, the thermal dopant can be added and / or introduced into the fungal textile material at any suitable point in the manufacturing process. As a first non-limiting example, the thermal dopant can be provided in a polymer solution, i.e., combined with the polymer and solvent, followed by combination with the fungal biomass. As a second non-limiting example, the thermal dopant can be combined with the inactivated fungal biomass, water, and optional pigments before or during the size reduction and / or blending / homogenization steps of the manufacturing process. As a third non-limiting example, the thermal dopant can be added to a mixture of the fungal paste and polymer solution while stirring and / or heating the paste / polymer solution mixture. As a fourth non-limiting example, the thermal dopant can be integrated into the fungal textile material, in some embodiments, in an engineered or designed spatial pattern or structure. As a fifth non-limiting example, the thermal dopant may be added before or during the casting process, for example, by providing the thermal dopant in the tray or mold into which the sheet is cast, or by sprinkling or otherwise distributing particles of the dopant on the surface of the fungal material after casting. As a sixth non-limiting example, the thermal dopant may be added to the fungal woven material after it has cured.

[0137] The amount of thermal dopant can be selected to provide the desired thermal properties to the resulting fungal textile material without compromising other material properties (e.g., flexibility, tensile strength, etc.) of the fungal textile material. Typically, the thermal dopant, if present, can comprise from about 0.1% to about 25% of the fungal textile material, or any subrange therebetween. In some embodiments, the dopant can be present in from about 0.1 to about 20% by weight, or from about 0.1 to about 15% by weight of the fungal textile material. For example, in various embodiments, the dopant can comprise about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15% by weight, or any of 0.1 to 25 tenths of a percent by weight of the fungal textile material.

[0138] In embodiments, the fungal composition formed after mixing with the polymer solution may be cast to at least partially overlay a scaffold or substrate containing a thermal dopant. In embodiments, a force may be applied to at least one of the fungal composition and the scaffold or substrate to provide a non-uniform spatial distribution of the fungal composition and the scaffold or substrate in the cast sheet. In embodiments, the fungal composition and the thermal dopant may each be selectively applied to predetermined areas of the casting area to provide a non-uniform spatial distribution of the blend composition and the thermal dopant in the cast sheet. In embodiments, the cast sheet may include a multi-layer structure having at least a first layer and a second layer, the first layer including at least a portion of the fungal composition and the second layer including at least a portion of the thermal dopant.

[0139] Embodiments of the present invention include articles of clothing constructed partially or completely from the fungal textile materials of the present invention, including, by way of non-limiting example, protective clothing, shirts, pants, shorts, jackets, coats, belts, hats, gloves, shoes, boots, sandals, flip-flops, watch straps, and aprons.

[0140] Embodiments of the present invention include accessory items constructed partially or entirely from the fungal textile materials of the present invention, including, by way of non-limiting example, purses, wallets, cases, suitcases, luggage items, bags, backpacks, and hip packs.

[0141] Embodiments of the present invention include furniture items constructed partially or entirely from the fungal textile materials of the present invention, including, by way of non-limiting example, chairs, recliners, couches, sofas, love seats, and ottomans.

[0142] Embodiments of the present invention include coverings constructed partially or completely from the fungal textile materials of the present invention, including, by way of non-limiting example, coverings for automobile seats, aircraft seats, and train seats.

[0143] Fungal textile materials according to the present invention can be manufactured to feature desired material, mechanical, and / or physical properties. As a first non-limiting example, the fungal textile material can be manufactured to have a desired tensile strength, which, in embodiments, can be at least about 15 MPa, or about 4 MPa to about 15 MPa, or any subrange of these values. As a second non-limiting example, the fungal textile material can be manufactured to have a desired breaking strain, which, in embodiments, can be about 50 percent to about 60 percent, or about 10 percent to about 70 percent, or any subrange of these values. As a third non-limiting example, the fungal textile material can be manufactured to have a desired swelling index, which, in embodiments, can be about 50 percent to about 60 percent, or about 30 percent to about 120 percent, or any subrange of these values. As a fourth non-limiting example, the fungal textile material can be manufactured to have a desired mass loss on immersion, which, in embodiments, can be about 5 percent or less. As a fifth non-limiting example, the fungal textile material may, in embodiments, have a thickness of about 25 nanometers or less, about 50 nanometers or less, about 75 nanometers or less, about 100 nanometers or less, about 125 nanometers or less, about 150 nanometers or less, about 175 nanometers or less, about 200 nanometers or less, about 225 nanometers or less, about 250 nanometers or less, about 275 nanometers or less, about 300 nanometers or less, about 325 nanometers or less, about 350 nanometers or less, about 375 nanometers or less, about 400 nanometers or less, about 425 nanometers or less, about 2 micrometers or less, about 4 micrometers or less, about 6 micrometers or less, or about 7 micrometers or less. The fungal particles can be manufactured to have a desired average fungal particle size, which can be up to about 8 micrometers, up to about 10 micrometers, up to about 15 micrometers, up to about 20 micrometers, up to about 30 micrometers, up to about 40 micrometers, up to about 50 micrometers, up to about 75 micrometers, up to about 100 micrometers, up to about 150 micrometers, up to about 200 micrometers, up to about 250 micrometers, up to about 300 nanometers, up to about 400 micrometers, up to about 500 micrometers, and up to about 750 micrometers.In some embodiments, the fungal biomass can include fungal filaments having lengths of at least about 1 centimeter, at least about 2 centimeters, at least about 3 centimeters, at least about 4 centimeters, at least about 5 centimeters, at least about 6 centimeters, at least about 7 centimeters, at least about 8 centimeters, at least about 9 centimeters, at least about 10 centimeters, at least about 20 centimeters, at least about 30 centimeters, at least about 40 centimeters, at least about 50 centimeters, at least about 60 centimeters, at least about 70 centimeters, at least about 80 centimeters, or at least about 90 centimeters. As a sixth non-limiting example, the fungal woven material can be manufactured to have a desired type of particle size distribution, which in embodiments can be bimodal, approximately bimodal, trimodal, or approximately trimodal. As a seventh non-limiting example, the fungal woven material can be manufactured to have a desired tear strength, which in embodiments can be from about 5 N / mm to about 25 N / mm, or any subrange of these values. As an eighth non-limiting example, the fungal textile material may be manufactured to have a desired wet rub, dry rub, and / or color fastness to xenon light of at least about 4 on the gray scale. As a ninth non-limiting example, the fungal textile material may be manufactured to have a desired bending stiffness, which in embodiments may be about 5 grams-centimeters or less.One of the advantages and benefits of the present invention is the combination of two or more of these or other material, mechanical, and / or physical properties not achievable with conventional woven materials, such as high tear strength (in some embodiments, at least about 1 N / mm, or at least about 2 N / mm, or at least about 3 N / mm, or at least about 4 N / mm, or at least about 5 N / mm, or at least about 6 N / mm, or at least about 7 N / mm, or at least about 8 N / mm, or at least about 9 N / mm, or at least about 10 N / mm, or at least about 11 N / mm, or at least about 12 N / mm, or at least about 13 N / mm, or at least about 14 N / mm, or at least about 15 N / mm). / mm, or at least about 16 N / mm, or at least about 17 N / mm, or at least about 18 N / mm, or at least about 19 N / mm, or at least about 20 N / mm) in combination with low bending stiffness (in some embodiments, about 10 gram-centimetre or less, or about 9 gram-centimetre or less, or about 8 gram-centimetre or less, or about 7 gram-centimetre or less, or about 6 gram-centimetre or less, or about 5 gram-centimetre or less, or about 4 gram-centimetre or less, or about 3 gram-centimetre or less, or about 2 gram-centimetre or less, or about 1 gram-centimetre or less).

[0144] In some embodiments, a fungal leather-like material can be provided that is made from size-reduced, inactivated fungal biomass and lacks any non-fungal textile backing. Such fungal leather-like material can have any one or more of the following properties: a thickness of about 1 to about 2 mm or about 1.15 to about 1.6 mm, a tear strength of about 6 to about 12 N or about 7.4 to about 10.5 N, a tear strength of about 3 to about 10 N / mm 2 or approximately 4.7 to 8.1 N / mm 2a tensile strength of about 1 to about 11 g cm, a water drop grayscale rating of 4 to 5, a light color fastness blue wool rating of at least 4, a dry color fastness to rubbing grayscale rating of 4 to 5, and a dry color fastness to rubbing grayscale rating of 4 to 5. Such fungal leather-like materials can easily exhibit a variety of textures or embossings.

[0145] In some embodiments, a fungal leather-like material can be provided that is made from size-reduced, inactivated fungal biomass and has a non-fungal textile backing adhered to one side. Such fungal leather-like material can have any one or more of the following properties: a thickness of about 1 to about 3 mm or about 1.95 to about 2.09 mm, a tear strength of about 20 to about 50 N or about 33 to about 37 N, and a tear strength of about 3 to about 10 N / mm. 2 or approximately 5.8 to 6.8 N / mm 2 a tensile strength of about 1 to about 11 g cm, a water drop grayscale rating of 4 to 5, a light color fastness blue wool rating of at least 4, a dry color fastness to rubbing grayscale rating of 4 to 5, and a dry color fastness to rubbing grayscale rating of 4 to 5. Such fungal leather-like materials can easily exhibit a variety of textures or embossings.

[0146] In some embodiments, a composite fungal leather-like material (i.e., a material in which a non-fungal layer is "sandwiched" between fungal layers) made from size-reduced, inactivated fungal biomass and having a non-fungal textile layer bonded between two layers of fungal material can be provided. Such fungal leather-like materials can have any one or more of the following properties: a thickness of about 1 to about 4 mm or about 2.2 to about 2.8 mm, a tear strength of about 25 to about 60 N or about 34 to about 52 N, a strain of about 7 to about 14 N / mm 2 or approximately 8.7 to 11.4 N / mm 2a tensile strength of about 1 to about 11 g cm, a water drop grayscale rating of 4 to 5, a light color fastness blue wool rating of at least 4, a dry color fastness to rubbing grayscale rating of 4 to 5, and a dry color fastness to rubbing grayscale rating of 4 to 5. Such fungal leather-like materials can easily exhibit a variety of textures or embossings.

[0147] In some embodiments, a fungal leather-like material can be provided that is made from inactivated fungal biomass, takes the form of one or more intact or whole biomats (e.g., biomass produced by surface fermentation and not subjected to size reduction), and lacks any non-fungal textile backing. Such fungal leather-like material can have any one or more of the following properties: a thickness of about 0.1 to about 1.5 mm per biomat or about 0.5 to about 0.9 mm per biomat, a tear strength of about 1 to about 3 N per biomat, or about 3 N / mm per biomat. 2 Tensile strength of about 1000, bending stiffness of about 1 to about 11 g·cm, and a water drop grayscale rating of 4 to 5. Such fungal leather analogs can closely mimic the same qualities of true leather, with advantages such as warmth, drapeability, softness, appearance, and smell.

[0148] In some embodiments, fungal leather analogs made from inactivated fungal biomass, and methods for their production, may offer environmental advantages and benefits over true leather in addition to not using animal products. In particular, the production methods of the present invention may not generate, or at least generate less of, highly toxic or environmentally harmful materials used in conventional leather tanning processes, such as hexavalent chromium compounds. Additionally, leather analogs according to the present invention may be biodegradable, i.e., may biodegrade more rapidly than true leather under a given set of conditions.

[0149] One feature of the present invention is the ability to infiltrate various chemical components (polymers, crosslinkers, etc.) into the mycelial matrix of the inactivated fungal biomass. When the inactivated fungal biomass is a size-reduced fungal biomass, this infiltration can be the result of the large surface area of ​​the fungal particles in contact with the infiltration fluid. When the inactivated fungal biomass is an intact or cohesive fungal biomass (e.g., a biomat produced by surface fermentation), this infiltration may be achieved by one or more of: extending the contact time between the fungal biomass and the fluid; agitating the fungal biomass with the fluid; applying subatmospheric or superatmospheric pressure to the fungal biomass and the fluid; and the like.

[0150] It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a method for preparing a durable sheet material comprising a fungal biomass, the method comprising: (a) combining an inactivated fungal biomass with at least one component selected from the group consisting of a plasticizer, a polymer, a crosslinker, and a dye to form a combined composition, (b) casting the combined composition to form a cast sheet, (c) removing the solvent from the cast sheet, and (d) curing the cast sheet to form a durable sheet material. It should be expressly understood that this method can be used in conjunction with either intact cohesive biomass (e.g., a biomat produced by surface fermentation) or size-reduced fungal biomass.

[0151] In an embodiment, step (d) may include drying the cast sheet.

[0152] In embodiments, step (d) may include initiating a chemical reaction within or on the surface of the cast sheet.

[0153] In embodiments, the method may further include adding at least one of a natural fiber material, a synthetic material, and a combination thereof to the blend composition. The natural fiber material may, but need not, include a cellulosic material. The natural fiber material may, but need not, include cotton fiber. At least one of the natural fiber material and the synthetic material may, but need not, be in the form of a plurality of particles, a sheet, or a combination thereof.

[0154] In an embodiment, the method may further comprise inactivating the fungal biomass to form an inactivated fungal biomass.

[0155] In an embodiment, the method may further comprise reducing the size of the fungal biomass.

[0156] In embodiments, the method may further include adding a thermal dopant to at least one of the inactivated fungal biomass, the blend composition, and the cast sheet.

[0157] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a method for preparing a durable sheet material comprising a fungal biomass, the method comprising: (a) contacting an inactivated fungal biomass with a solution comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of a plasticizer, a polymer, a crosslinker, and a dye; (b) removing the solvent from the biomass; and (c) curing the biomass to form the durable sheet material.

[0158] In an embodiment, the method may further comprise inactivating the fungal biomass to form an inactivated fungal biomass.

[0159] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a textile composition comprising an inactivated fungal biomass and at least one component selected from the group consisting of a plasticizer, a polymer, a crosslinker, and a dye.

[0160] In embodiments, the textile composition may include a plasticizer, a polymer, and a crosslinker.

[0161] In embodiments, the fungal biomass may comprise fungi belonging to a phylum selected from the group consisting of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota.

[0162] In embodiments, the fungal biomass may include a fungus belonging to a genus selected from the group consisting of Fusarium, Fomes, and Ganoderma. The fungus may, but need not, belong to a species selected from the group consisting of Fusarium venenatum, Fomes fomentarius, Ganoderma applanatum, Ganoderma curtisii, Ganoderma formosanum, Ganoderma nei-japonicum, Ganoderma resinaceum, Ganoderma sinense, and Ganoderma tsugae.

[0163] In embodiments, the fungal biomass may include a fungus selected from the group consisting of Fusarium venenatum and MK7 ATCC Deposit No. PTA-10698.

[0164] In embodiments, the plasticizer may include at least one selected from the group consisting of glycerol, polyethylene glycol, citric acid, and oleic acid. The plasticizer may, but need not, include glycerol. Glycerol may, but need not, be present in the textile composition in an amount of about 0.5% to about 50% by weight, or any subrange therebetween. In embodiments, glycerol may, but need not, be present in an amount of about 50%, about 37.5%, about 25%, or about 12.5% ​​by weight.

[0165] In embodiments, the polymer may comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polyethylene glycol, and hyaluronic acid. The polymer may, but need not, comprise polyvinyl alcohol. The polymer may, but need not, comprise chitosan. The polymer may, but need not, comprise polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan. The weight ratio of polyvinyl alcohol to chitosan may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of about 99:1, about 90:10, about 80:20, about 70:30, about 60:40, about 50:50, about 40:60, about 30:70, about 20:80, about 10:90, and about 1:99, or any range formed by two of these ratios. The weight ratio of polyvinyl alcohol to chitosan may, but need not, be about 50:50.

[0166] In embodiments, the textile composition may include a polymer, and the loading ratio of the textile composition is selected from the group consisting of about 99:1, about 95:5, about 90:10, about 85:15, about 80:20, about 75:25, about 70:30, about 65:35, about 60:40, about 55:45, about 50:50, about 45:55, about 40:60, about 35:65, about 30:70, about 25:75, about 20:80, about 15:85, about 10:90, about 5:95, and about 1:99, or any range formed by two of these ratios. The loading ratio can be, but need not be, about 70:30.

[0167] In embodiments, the cross-linking agent may include at least one selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, glyoxal, and extracted vegetable tannins. The cross-linking agent may, but need not, include adipic acid.

[0168] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide an article of clothing comprising the textile composition of the present invention.

[0169] In an embodiment, the article may be protective clothing.

[0170] In embodiments, the article of clothing may be selected from the group consisting of shirts, pants, shorts, jackets, coats, belts, hats, gloves, shoes, boots, sandals, flip-flops, watch straps, and aprons.

[0171] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide an accessory item comprising the textile composition of the present invention.

[0172] In an embodiment, the accessory item may be selected from the group consisting of a purse, a wallet, a case, a suitcase, a luggage item, a bag, a backpack, and a hip pack.

[0173] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a furniture item comprising the textile composition of the present invention.

[0174] In an embodiment, the furniture item may be selected from the group consisting of a chair, a recliner, a couch, a sofa, a loveseat, an ottoman, and a vehicle seat.

[0175] In embodiments, the fabric composition may have a tensile strength of at least about 15 MPa.

[0176] In embodiments, the woven fabric composition may have a breaking strain of from about 30 percent to about 60 percent.

[0177] In embodiments, the textile composition may have a swelling degree of from about 30 percent to about 60 percent.

[0178] In embodiments, the fabric composition may have a mass loss upon immersion of about 30 percent or less.

[0179] In embodiments, the fungal biomass has a particle size of about 25 nanometers or less, about 50 nanometers or less, about 75 nanometers or less, about 100 nanometers or less, about 125 nanometers or less, about 150 nanometers or less, about 175 nanometers or less, about 200 nanometers or less, about 225 nanometers or less, about 250 nanometers or less, about 275 nanometers or less, about 300 nanometers or less, about 325 nanometers or less, about 350 nanometers or less, about 375 nanometers or less, about 400 nanometers or less, about 425 nanometers or less, about 2 micrometers or less, about 4 micrometers or less, about 6 micrometers or less, or about 7 micrometers or less. The nanoparticles may have an average particle size selected from the group consisting of 10 ...

[0180] In embodiments, the fungal biomass may have a bimodal or approximately bimodal particle size distribution.

[0181] In embodiments, the fungal biomass may have a trimodal or approximately trimodal particle size distribution.

[0182] In an embodiment, the textile composition may include transglutaminase.

[0183] In embodiments, the textile composition may include proteins cross-linked by isopeptide bonds. The formation of cross-linking isopeptide bonds may, but need not, be catalyzed by transglutaminase.

[0184] In embodiments, the textile composition may further comprise a thermal dopant, which may, but need not, be selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, aluminum oxide, bentonite, diatomaceous earth, lignin, nanosilica, polycaprolactone, polylactic acid, silicone, and yttrium oxide.

[0185] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a method for preparing a durable sheet material comprising a fungal biomass, the method comprising: (a) homogenizing an inactivated fungal biomass with a fluid comprising water to form a fungal paste, (b) combining the fungal paste with an aqueous solution comprising a polymer to form a blended composition, (c) casting the blended composition to form a cast sheet, (d) removing the solvent from the cast sheet, and (e) curing the cast sheet to form the durable sheet material. It should be expressly understood that fungal biomass suitable for use in this method can be produced by any of several methods known in the art and disclosed herein, including, but not limited to, surface fermentation, submerged fermentation, solid substrate submerged liquid fermentation (SSSF), and the method disclosed in the '474 publication.

[0186] In embodiments, the fluid of step (a) may further comprise a pigment.

[0187] In an embodiment, the method may further comprise inactivating the fungal biomass to provide an inactivated fungal biomass.

[0188] In an embodiment, step (a) may further comprise simultaneously reducing the size of the inactivated fungal biomass.

[0189] In an embodiment, the inactivated fungal biomass may be a size-reduced fungal biomass.

[0190] In embodiments, the polymer may include chitosan.

[0191] In embodiments, the aqueous solution of step (b) may further comprise at least one of a crosslinker, a plasticizer, a solubilizer, and a pH adjuster. The aqueous solution may, but need not, comprise a crosslinker, where the crosslinker comprises citric acid. The aqueous solution may, but need not, comprise a plasticizer, where the plasticizer comprises glycerol.

[0192] In an embodiment, the method may further comprise degassing the fungal paste between steps (a) and (b).

[0193] In an embodiment, the method may further comprise degassing the blend composition between steps (b) and (c).

[0194] In embodiments, the method may further include adding at least one thermal dopant to at least one of the inactivated fungal biomass, the fluid of step (a), the fungal paste, the aqueous solution of step (b), the blended composition, the casting sheet, and the tray, mold, or other container into which the blended composition is cast in step (c).

[0195] In embodiments of any of the above methods, the fungal biomass may be produced by a method comprising culturing a fungal inoculum by at least one of surface fermentation, submerged fermentation, solid substrate submerged fermentation, and the fermentation methods described in the '474 publication. The fungal biomass may, but need not, be a biomat.

[0196] Any embodiment of the above method may further comprise maintaining or introducing bubbles of at least one gas.

[0197] Embodiments of the above textile compositions may include at least one gas bubble.

[0198] In embodiments, the fungal biomass may comprise fungal filaments having a length of at least about 1 centimeter, at least about 2 centimeters, at least about 3 centimeters, at least about 4 centimeters, at least about 5 centimeters, at least about 6 centimeters, at least about 7 centimeters, at least about 8 centimeters, at least about 9 centimeters, at least about 10 centimeters, at least about 20 centimeters, at least about 30 centimeters, at least about 40 centimeters, at least about 50 centimeters, at least about 60 centimeters, at least about 70 centimeters, at least about 80 centimeters, at least about 90 centimeters, at least about 100 centimeters, at least about 200 centimeters, at least about 300 centimeters, at least about 400 centimeters, at least about 500 centimeters, at least about 600 centimeters, at least about 700 centimeters, at least about 800 centimeters, or at least about 900 centimeters.

[0199] In embodiments, the fungal biomass is about 1 centimeter or less, about 9 millimeters or less, about 8 millimeters or less, about 7 millimeters or less, about 6 millimeters or less, about 5 millimeters or less, about 4 millimeters or less, about 3 millimeters or less, about 2 millimeters or less, about 1 millimeter or less, about 900 micrometers or less, about 800 micrometers or less, about 700 micrometers or less, about 600 micrometers or less, about 500 micrometers or less, about 400 micrometers or less, about 300 micrometers or less, about 200 micrometers or less, about 100 micrometers or less, about 9 The fungal filaments may include fungal filaments having a length of 0 micrometers or less, about 80 micrometers or less, about 70 micrometers or less, about 60 micrometers or less, about 50 micrometers or less, about 40 micrometers or less, about 30 micrometers or less, about 20 micrometers or less, about 10 micrometers or less, about 9 micrometers or less, about 8 micrometers or less, about 7 micrometers or less, about 6 micrometers or less, about 5 micrometers or less, about 4 micrometers or less, about 3 micrometers or less, about 2 micrometers or less, or about 1 micrometer or less.

[0200] The present invention is further described illustratively by the following non-limiting examples. [Example]

[0201] [Example 1] Textile Material Manufacturing Process Fungal textile materials according to the present invention may be made, in embodiments, according to the methods described in this Example. In particular, the methods described in this Example may be used to produce leather-like textile materials, i.e., fungal textile materials that can replicate, mimic, and / or replace real leather.

[0202] The first step or steps in the process for making these fungal textile materials generally involve obtaining a mat of fungal material containing mycelium from a suitable reactor, which in embodiments involves producing a fungal biomat according to the methods described in the '050, '626, '421, and / or '474 published applications. These mats are then inactivated, in some embodiments, by steam treatment for 30 minutes or more, and the inactivated mats can then be cut to the desired size and geometry. In some embodiments, the mats can be partially or completely dried in a dehydrator at elevated temperatures, for example, from about 130°F to about 160°F.

[0203] The inactivated mat is then placed in a solution of one or more ingredients selected to impart desired properties to the final fungal textile material. Generally, the solution contains one or more of a polymer, a plasticizer, and a crosslinker. Polymers suitable for use in the solution according to the present invention include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polyethylene glycol, hyaluronic acid, polycaprolactone, polyacrylic acid, and combinations and mixtures thereof. Plasticizers suitable for use in the solution according to the present invention include, but are not limited to, glycerol and its esters, polyethylene glycol, citric acid, oleic acid, oleic acid polyols (e.g., mannitol, sorbitol) and their esters, epoxidized triglycerides of vegetable oils (e.g., derived from soybean oil), castor oil, pentaerythritol, fatty acid esters, carboxylic acid ester-based plasticizers, trimellitate, adipate, sebacate, maleate, biological plasticizers, and combinations and mixtures thereof. Cross-linking agents suitable for use in the solutions according to the present invention include, but are not limited to, citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, extracted vegetable tannins, glyoxal, and combinations and mixtures thereof.

[0204] The passivated mat is immersed in the polymer, plasticizer, and / or crosslinker for a period of time sufficient to allow the mat to become saturated with the polymer, plasticizer, and / or crosslinker, generally at least about 2 hours, and most typically about 24 hours. After immersion in the solution, the wet mat is removed from the solution (after which excess solution may be removed from one or more surfaces of the mat).

[0205] An optional step in the method of the present invention, which may be preferred in some embodiments, involves laminating two or more mats after dipping. In practicing the present invention, mats can be laminated by vertically stacking two or more mats, which in some cases may contain natural fibers in addition to mycelium, or by arranging the mats in any desired spatial orientation (horizontal vs. vertical, parallel vs. orthogonal vs. diagonal, etc.) and dipping the vertically stacked mats into a polymer solution that may be the same or different from the solution used in the previous dipping step. Generally, laminating two or more mats according to the present invention involves removing air bubbles trapped between the layers, for example, by pressing, rolling, vacuum extraction, etc. of the stacked mats.

[0206] The wet mat (or laminate of mats) is then dried in a dehydrator at an elevated temperature, e.g., about 130°F to about 160°F, typically for about 30 to about 120 minutes, to remove substantially all of the liquid from the outer surface of the mat (or laminate), while retaining at least some liquid within the interior of the mat (or laminate). The mat is then removed from the dehydrator and, in some embodiments, heat-pressed at an elevated temperature (e.g., about 130°C), for example, between textured silicon molds; typically, the mat is heat-pressed for a total time of about 3 to about 10 minutes, at intervals of about 20 to about 30 seconds. [Example 2]

[0207] Fungal growth through fibers Fungal textile materials according to the present invention may be made, in embodiments, according to the methods described in this Example. In particular, the methods described in this Example may be used to produce textile materials incorporating both filamentous fungi and other natural or synthetic fibers.

[0208] The first step or steps in the method for making these fungal textile materials generally involve providing a growth medium for the filamentous fungus, which in embodiments includes the growth medium described in the '050, '626, '421, and / or '474 patent applications, but may also include other types of growth media. In particular, the growth medium may be formulated with an alternative carbon source or a different carbon content, which, in embodiments, may facilitate consumption of natural fibers by the fungus cultured in the growth medium. As a non-limiting example, a conventional growth medium may be modified by replacing glycerol with hydrolyzed cellulose, crystalline cellulose, or other cellulosic compounds to promote the production of cellulase enzymes by the filamentous fungus. As a further non-limiting example, the total amount of cellulosic material may be carefully controlled, for example, up to about 10 wt% of the growth medium, to provide the desired growth characteristics of the filamentous fungus. After preparation, the growth medium is typically boiled for a period of 30 minutes or more to eliminate competitive or pathogenic microorganisms, then sealed and cooled. The cooled medium is typically pH adjusted using, for example, hydrochloric acid and inoculated with an inoculum of a filamentous fungus (e.g., MK7 ATCC Accession No. PTA-10698) at a rate of about 5 vol%, and the medium is generally stirred to provide uniform distribution of the fungal inoculum.

[0209] A reactor for the production of filamentous fungal biomass is prepared by providing a sanitary reactor, such as a Saran Wrap reactor, and cleaning and / or sterilizing (e.g., with ethanol) the interior of the reactor (e.g., walls, doors, racks, trays, etc.). Separately, natural fibers that serve as the substrate and / or structural material for the fungal textile material are placed in one or more Pyrex trays, generally at a rate of about 0.5 grams to about 5 grams per tray, covered with aluminum foil, dry-autoclaved to eliminate competitive or pathogenic microorganisms, and then cooled, while the Pyrex trays are then placed in the cleaned reactor (typically on top of the reactor trays).

[0210] The inoculated medium is then poured or otherwise introduced into Pyrex trays within the reactor, typically at a rate of about 200 mL per tray. It is generally desirable to introduce the inoculated medium into the corners of the Pyrex trays rather than the center, allowing the growth medium to flow under the fibers within the Pyrex trays, thus floating the fibers above the surface of the liquid medium. After an inoculation period, typically about 3 days to about 3 weeks, each Pyrex tray contains fungal biomass that has grown through the natural substrate and / or structural fibers, which can then be harvested for further processing. [Example 3]

[0211] Incorporation of oil In the production of true (i.e., non-fungal) leather, leather materials are typically subjected to an oiling process, whereby the leather material is coated with one or more oils, or more commonly, a mixture of oil(s), emulsifiers, and penetration aids. This oiling process lubricates the leather, improving its ability to flex without cracking (dry leather fibers generally crack or break easily), and may also impart color and water resistance to the leather material. In the practice of the present invention, oil may similarly be incorporated into fungal leather analogs, or may be produced in situ by the filamentous fungi themselves during the fermentation process, to provide similar benefits and advantages. This example describes an embodiment of such an oil incorporation process for fungal leather analogs.

[0212] In the "emulsion" oil incorporation method according to the present invention, one or more oils, fats, and / or waxes are provided. The oils, fats, and / or waxes may be selected for their utility as emulsifiers and / or surfactants (e.g., salts, soaps, and other amphiphilic molecules), and may include, by way of non-limiting example, any one or more of sulfated castor oil, beeswax, coconut oil, vegetable oil, olive oil, linseed oil, and sulfated oleic fish oil, sulfated rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, and fatty acids. Emulsions formed utilizing surfactants may provide more stable conditions for penetration of the leather, and one skilled in the art can select anionic, cationic, or nonionic surfactants to improve the wetting action of the emulsion on the fibers of the leather material. These oils, fats, and / or waxes are rapidly stirred (e.g., with a magnetic stir bar) in a vessel, and in some embodiments, heat may be applied to melt one or more of the oils, fats, and / or waxes to ensure thorough mixing. Water (preferably deionized water) can be gradually added to the mixture until a milky white emulsion is formed; most typically, water comprises about 50% to about 70% by volume of the emulsion. The stirring speed is then reduced (e.g., with a magnetic stir bar or orbital shaker), after which the fungal leather analog material of the present invention is introduced into the vessel. The fungal leather analog material is generally maintained in the stirred emulsion for a period of about 20 minutes to about 4 hours, then removed from the emulsion and air-dried for about 24 to about 48 hours. This oil processing process can occur before, after, and / or instead of heat-pressing the fungal leather analog material.

[0213] In the "loaded" oil incorporation method according to the present invention, one or more liquefied oils or waxes, including but not limited to those oils or waxes suitable for use in the "emulsion" method described above, can be mechanically rubbed onto the surface of the fungal leather analog material to "work" the oil or wax into the structure of the fungal leather analog material. As in the "emulsion" method, the fungal leather analog material is then air-dried for about 24 to about 48 hours, and the "loaded" oil processing process can occur before, after, and / or instead of heat-pressing the fungal leather analog material. [Example 4]

[0214] Vegetable tanning In the practice of the present invention, the use of dicarboxylic acids as cross-linking agents generally requires heat pressing of the fungal textile material because cross-linking of carboxylic acids to chemical moieties found in the fungal textile material generally occurs only at high temperatures (e.g., about 130°C). Alternatively, natural tannins, such as tannins extracted from plant or other herbaceous materials, can bond to and / or induce chemical bonding (i.e., cross-linking) with the fungal textile material at lower temperatures than dicarboxylic acids, thus eliminating the need for heat pressing, which may improve the water resistance of the fungal textile material. While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that tannins interact with the fungal textile material in much the same way as they interact with animal hides or skins, i.e., by binding to protein moieties, improving the strength and resistance to deterioration of the material.

[0215] Eliminating the need to heat-press the fungal textile material can have additional advantages and benefits in downstream processing.As a non-limiting example, the oil incorporation process (such as that described in Example 3) typically requires a relatively "open" structure of the fungal textile material, and heat-pressing closes the structure of the fungal textile material, making it difficult for the oil to penetrate into the leather structure; the oil incorporation process can be performed before heat-pressing, but this may in some cases interfere with the cross-linking reaction and / or cause the oil to leach out of the fungal textile material during heat-pressing.This example describes an embodiment of a process for cross-linking fungal textile materials using vegetable tannins to avoid these and other disadvantages.

[0216] In a vegetable tanning method according to the present invention, a mat of fungal biomass is produced by any suitable method, including, but not limited to, those disclosed herein and / or in the '050, '626, and / or '421 applications, and steamed as described in Example 1. The steamed mat is washed one or more times with deionized water, brine, or a combination or mixture thereof, and the washed mat is then placed in a solution containing a tannin compound. The tannin compound may include any one or more commercially available plant-extracted tannins and / or pure tannic acid and generally comprises from about 0.5 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the tanning solution. The fungal mat is generally maintained in the tanning solution for from about 1 day to about 30 days, and in some embodiments, the fungal mat may be transferred between two or more tanning solutions during the tanning process, for example, tanning solutions having different compositions and / or concentrations of tannin compounds.

[0217] After tanning, the fungal mat may be oiled by any suitable method, for example, one or both of the methods described in Example 3, and / or may be subjected to a plasticizing solution or process (e.g., using polyethylene glycol (PEG) and / or glycerol as plasticizers). The plasticized and / or oiled material is finally air-dried, typically for about 24 to about 72 hours. It should be clearly understood that, in embodiments, further cross-linking, for example, using dicarboxylic acids as cross-linking agents, may be carried out after the vegetable tanning process described in this example. [Example 5]

[0218] Effect of polymer-plasticizer ratio on woven material properties This example illustrates the effect of the polymer-to-plasticizer ratio in the solution of the present invention on the material properties of fungal textile materials, particularly fungal leather-like materials. The polymer (i.e., long-chain molecules chemically bonded to biological structures within the fungal textile material) improves the tensile strength of the fungal textile material, while the plasticizer (i.e., smaller molecules not chemically bonded to biological structures or polymers) improves the flexibility and reduces the brittleness of the fungal textile material. Thus, without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, varying the polymer-to-plasticizer ratio (hereinafter referred to as the "PP ratio") may enable one skilled in the art to precisely control, select, or adjust the physical properties of fungal textile materials produced according to the present invention.

[0219] MK7 ATCC accession number PTA-10698 (hereafter referred to as "MK7") biomats were grown and steamed or boiled for 30 minutes to inactivate the fungi. The inactivated biomats were cut into approximately 4 cm x 6 cm rectangles, each of which was placed in a solution containing both a polymer (either polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or chitosan) and a plasticizer (glycerol) and soaked overnight. After soaking, each rectangle was dried in a tabletop dehydrator for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour and then heat-pressed at 275°F for a total of 4 minutes in 30-second intervals. The samples were then air-dried at room temperature overnight and subsequently tested for degree of swelling (DOS), mass loss after immersion (ML), tensile strength (TS), and subjective flexibility (six ratings, 0-10 scale). The results are shown in Table 1.

[0220] Table 1: Material properties of MK7 leather-like samples with various polymer-plasticizer ratios [Table 1]

[0221] Regardless of the type of polymer used (PVA vs. chitosan), certain trends were evident: increased tensile strength with increasing PP ratio, increased swelling with increasing PP ratio, decreased mass loss with increasing PP ratio, and decreased flexibility with increasing PP ratio. The introduction of polymer into the MK7 biomat, followed by heat pressing, results in the formation of covalent and non-covalent bonds between the mycelium and the polymer molecules. These polymer molecules also bond with each other, forming a tangle of bonded structures. Plasticizers, such as glycerol, are "floating" molecules that remain unattached to both the polymer and the MK7 structure and function to block the formation of chemical bonds between the polymer and biomass. When plasticizers are present in small amounts, more chemical bonds can form, resulting in a material with increased strength and brittleness. When plasticizers are present in large amounts, they block the formation of chemical bonds, resulting in a flexible material lacking strength. This phenomenon is evident from the wide range of tensile strengths (2.70 MPa to 8.61 MPa) and the wide range of flexibility (0.67 to 9.83 on a subjective 0 to 10 scale) obtained by varying the polymer to plasticizer concentration.

[0222] Samples utilizing PVA as the polymer showed more consistent results in the mid-range of each test parameter, while samples containing chitosan as the polymer showed more spread-out, more inconsistent results across the extremes of the parameter range. This result may be due in part to differences between the steamed and boiled biomat samples, with the boiled samples being able to more uniformly incorporate the polymer solution content and therefore performing better, while the steamed samples tended to be much more brittle. PVA appeared to be absorbed more easily and uniformly into the steamed biomat than chitosan, which may explain the more consistent data obtained for the PVA samples. [Example 6]

[0223] Effect of glycerol content on textile material properties The procedure of Example 5 was repeated, except that the polymer / plasticizer solutions contained no polymer (i.e., no PVA or chitosan) and the plasticizer (i.e., glycerol) content was varied to evaluate the effect of glycerol content on the material properties of the fungal textile materials.

[0224] Across the range of glycerol concentrations tested for MK7 leather samples, clear trends in TS, strain at break (SAB), DOS, and ML were observed. As shown in Figure 6, TS of MK7 leather was observed to decrease with increasing glycerol concentration, with a maximum TS of 8.65 MPa achieved for samples made from pre-boiled biomass with no added glycerol, and a minimum TS value of 1.55 MPa recorded for raw biomass samples with 37.5% added glycerol. As shown in Figure 7, SAB of MK7 leather was observed to increase with increasing glycerol concentration, while samples made from pre-boiled biomass showed less of this trend, most likely due to incomplete drying of some samples before strain testing. Furthermore, DOS of MK7 was observed to decrease with increasing glycerol concentration, as shown in Figure 8, while ML was observed to increase with increasing glycerol concentration, as shown in Figure 9.

[0225] Glycerol acts by disrupting polymer-polymer interactions, increasing free space and thus increasing the mobility of polymer molecules. In the MK7 leather embodiment of the present invention, a mixture of PVA and / or chitosan polymers is present along with native MK7 cells and excreted biopolymers (EPS). In the absence of glycerol, the added polymers, cells, and biopolymers can form more hydrogen, ionic, and covalent bonds with each other, resulting in lower molecular mobility and free space, while the bond concentration is higher. In this state, the material is more rigid and requires more energy to stretch or bend. Therefore, when the glycerol concentration is low, the measured TS is higher and the strain is lower, and vice versa. [Example 7]

[0226] Effect of loading ratio on woven material properties The procedure of Example 5 was repeated, except that the polymer / plasticizer solution contained no plasticizer (i.e., no glycerol added) and the total polymer content (i.e., the total amount of PVA and / or chitosan) was varied to evaluate the effect of loading ratio on the material properties of the fungal textile material.

[0227] As shown in Figure 10, the TS of MK7 leather was shown to increase with increasing polymer concentration; in other words, the highest tensile strength was observed at the lowest loading ratio, and vice versa. TS was observed to increase linearly with polymer concentration up to a polymer concentration of approximately 36.5%, after which a drop in TS was observed at a polymer concentration of approximately 47.5%. At polymer concentrations above approximately 47.5%, TS increased linearly to a maximum of 6.89 MPa at a polymer concentration of 73%. While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, this effect may be due to the numerous hydroxyl and amine groups present in the PVA and chitosan molecules, which can form covalent and non-covalent bonds with biological structures and other polymer molecules. As the polymer concentration increases, the concentration of intermolecular bonds also increases. Higher bond concentrations then result in improved material strength. Furthermore, the untreated biomass used to form the leather samples contains both residual glycerol from the culture medium and EPS molecules formed by the organisms. Glycerol, and possibly some components of EPS, function as plasticizers for leather structure. Based on the results of the glycerol concentration experiments, it can be reasonably inferred that increasing biomass concentration, and therefore increasing plasticizer concentration, may result in a decrease in the TS of the samples.

[0228] As shown in Figure 11, the SAB of the MK7 leather samples was observed to increase linearly with polymer concentration, up to a maximum of 182% at a polymer concentration of 36.5%. As the polymer concentration increased above 36.5%, the SAB was observed to decrease linearly. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that this effect may be due to the competing effects of intermolecular bonding and plasticization within the leather structure. At high loading ratios, the biomass and plasticizer concentrations are high but the bonding concentration is low, resulting in a material with a low tensile limit. Therefore, during tensile testing, the tensile limit may be reached before significant material strain, resulting in material failure at low strains. At mid-loading ratios (37.5% polymer concentration), in contrast, significant intermolecular bonding may occur. Furthermore, due to the significant incorporation of biomass at the mid-loading ratio, the samples are also significantly plasticized. These properties result in a material with both a moderately high tensile limit and a moderately high strain limit. During tensile testing, a material can stretch significantly before reaching its tensile or strain limit. At lower loading ratios, samples are not significantly plasticized. They contain a high concentration of polymer that forms intermolecular bonds and therefore have a high tensile limit. However, the lack of plasticizing molecules results in a low strain limit, reaching a maximum TS value at a lower corresponding SAB value.

[0229] As shown in Figure 12, a similar trend to that of SAB was observed for the DOS of the leather samples. The DOS of the samples increased linearly with increasing polymer concentration, up to a maximum of 405% at a polymer concentration of 47.5%. A linear decrease in DOS was observed as the polymer concentration increased above 47.5%. PVA and chitosan are known to form hydrogels, materials containing a three-dimensional mesh or network of physically and chemically bonded polymer molecules. When not fully crosslinked, the hydrogel network is flexible and contains spaces between the polymer chains, allowing the hydrogel to stretch and retain large amounts of water within the spaces between the polymer chains. When fully crosslinked, the spaces between the polymer chains are bonded, making the material less flexible as water is absorbed. In this crosslinked state, the hydrogel has a lower water-holding capacity. While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that at high loading ratios, there are fewer available binding sites for water molecules due to the smaller amount of polymer molecules. Therefore, at high loading ratios, the ability to absorb water is lower. The maximum DOS was observed at intermediate polymer concentrations, where relatively high polymer and biomass concentrations existed. The biomass absorbed glycerol, resulting in a plasticized polymer network with low cross-linking and high water-holding capacity. As the polymer concentration increased further, the plasticizing effect decreased with a decrease in absorbed glycerol. This resulted in a more highly cross-linked material that could not hold as much water.

[0230] However, the ML values ​​of MK7 leather did not show any maximum. Instead, as shown in Figure 13, it was observed that the ML values ​​decreased linearly with increasing polymer concentration. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that this effect may be due to the decrease in biomass amount associated with the decrease in loading ratio. Biomass contains a high proportion of water-soluble compounds, which can diffuse into the aqueous phase when the biomass is immersed. Therefore, the difference in mass before and after immersion is much larger for the high loading ratio samples, which contain a large amount of soluble compounds. [Example 8]

[0231] Effect of polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan ratio on woven material properties The procedure of Example 5 was repeated, except that to evaluate the effect of varying the polymer composition on the material properties of the fungal textile material, the polymer / plasticizer solution did not contain plasticizer (i.e., no glycerol was added), the total polymer content (i.e., the total amount of PVA and / or chitosan) was held constant, and the ratio of PVA to chitosan was varied.

[0232] As shown in Figure 14, the TS of the MK7 leather sample was observed to have maxima at PVA:chitosan weight ratios of 0:100, 50:50, and 100:0. These points correspond to PVA concentrations of 0%, 11.7%, and 23.4%, and the TS values ​​at these points were 3.55 MPa, 3.53 MPa, and 4.32 MPa, respectively. As shown in Figure 15, the SAB of the sample was observed to have maxima at the same PVA:chitosan ratios observed for TS. The SAB values ​​at these points were 143%, 138%, and 132%, respectively. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, TS maxima can be observed when one polymer is absent and when the polymers are present in equal amounts. This is because the chemical bonds of one polymer can be disrupted by the inclusion of a small amount of the other polymer; i.e., chitosan present in small amounts can form aggregates within the larger matrix of PVA, and vice versa. Polymer aggregates compete with biomass for binding sites in the larger polymer matrix, resulting in reduced strength, while also hindering the ability of polymer molecules to move and extend. This explains the low TS and SAB values ​​observed at PVA:chitosan ratios of 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, and 20:80. When approximately equal amounts of each polymer are added, aggregates cannot form, and therefore a homogeneous polymer matrix can exist. The absence of aggregates increases the degree of bonding between the polymer and biomass. Furthermore, the lack of aggregates allows polymer molecules to move and flex. This explains the increase in TS and SAB observed at a 50:50 PVA:chitosan ratio.

[0233] As shown in Figure 16, the DOS of the leather samples was observed to decrease with increasing PVA concentration in the samples. As shown in Figure 17, the ML of the samples showed the opposite trend. DOS values ​​were three times greater in samples containing chitosan as the only polymer compared to samples containing PVA as the only polymer. While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that chitosan molecules have a higher affinity for water molecules than PVA molecules, likely due to the positive charge on chitosan's amine groups at low pH. These charged amine groups may also be more likely to bind to other molecules in the system, such as biomass particles, glycerol, or EPS components. Due to the charged amine groups, chitosan molecules may be more likely to remain bound during immersion, which explains the lower ML values ​​observed at higher concentrations of Ch, and vice versa. [Example 9]

[0234] Effect of blending time on fungal particle length Forty grams of raw (untreated) fungal biomass and 40 mL of deionized water were placed in a small Oster blender and blended for 10 seconds. 3 mL of the resulting mixture was removed from the blender and combined with 27 mL of deionized water to create a 30 mL "10-second blend" test material. The remaining mixture in the blender was blended for an additional 10 seconds, and an additional 3 mL sample was removed and combined with 27 mL of deionized water to create a 30 mL "20-second blend" test material. This process was repeated with an additional 20 seconds of blending to create a "40-second blend," and again after another 20 seconds of blending to create a "60-second blend." Each of the test materials was then further diluted 9:1 in deionized water to create four 300 mL samples, each containing 1 vol% of the blend mixture.

[0235] 75 μL of each of the four 1 vol% samples was placed on a microscope slide, and a micrograph of each sample was taken. In each micrograph, the apparent lengths of 30 fungal particles were measured, and these apparent lengths were converted to the actual length of each particle based on the magnification used in the microscope. Histograms of particle lengths for the blends are shown in Figures 18A, 18B, 18C, and 18D, respectively. [Example 10]

[0236] Effect of charging ratio on foaming during production Raw (untreated) fungal biomass was chopped into approximately 1 cm square pieces and added in various amounts to several 400 mL beakers along with water, PVA solution, chitosan, and adipic acid. The height of the mixture in each beaker was measured, and then each mixture was blended for 1 minute using a Hamilton Beach HB08 hand mixer, after which the height of the mixture was measured again. Each mixture was then stirred (large stir bar, 60 rpm) at 180°C for 30 minutes, after which the height of the mixture was measured a third time, and then a fourth time after a volume of acetic acid was added to the beaker, while the mixture was stirred for an additional 10 minutes while cooling. Each mixture was then poured into a flat tray, allowed to dry at room temperature for 2 days, then removed from the tray and heat-pressed five times at 275°F for 10 minutes each in a textured silicone mold. The density of each heat-pressed sample was then measured. FIG. 19 shows the "blend overrun," "heat overrun," and "total overrun," which are the changes in volume relative to the starting mixture after blending, heating, and adding acetic acid, respectively, as well as the density of each mixture as a function of charge ratio. [Example 11]

[0237] Physical properties of fungal leather simulants – size reduction versus intact biomass Eight samples of fungal leather-like material were produced according to the method and associated description shown in Figure 3, except where otherwise specified. Of these eight samples, three were made from inactivated fungal biomass that had been size-reduced prior to step 310—the first sample had no non-fungal textile backing, the second sample had a non-fungal textile (cotton) backing on one side of the fungal layer, and the third sample had a non-fungal textile (cotton) layer "sandwiched" between two fungal layers. The other five samples were made from intact (non-size-reduced) biomass produced by a surface fermentation process—the fourth, fifth, and sixth samples had no non-fungal textile backing, the seventh sample had a non-fungal textile (cotton) backing on one side of the fungal layer, and the third sample had a non-fungal textile (cotton) layer "sandwiched" between two fungal layers.

[0238] The size-reduced fungal biomass was prepared as follows: Water and reconstituted (previously frozen) post-treatment biomass were added to a Vitamix blender in a 1:1 mass ratio. These were blended together for approximately 2 minutes to produce a homogenous mixture of size-reduced biomass in water. Separately, solutions of water, glycerol, chitosan, citric acid, and hydrochloric acid were prepared in mass ratios of 200:17.5:6.3:1:13.5, respectively. The total mass of the solutions was equal to the total mass of the biomass-water blend. Once the chitosan was dissolved, the aqueous polymer solution and biomass-water mixture were combined. The newly prepared mixture was stirred under heat for approximately 30 minutes to form a homogenous paste. The paste was then cast into a flat, non-stick tray and allowed to dry under ambient conditions. Once dry, the newly formed sheet material was heat-pressed at 100°C for 10 minutes.

[0239] For samples with a non-fungal (cotton) layer, a cotton backing material was adhered to the sample using an aqueous solution of chitosan (1% w / v), citric acid (1% w / v), and hydrochloric acid (1% v / v). The chitosan solution was applied to the appropriate side of the fungal layer, and the cotton was applied to the wet surface. The chitosan adhesive was allowed to dry for approximately 20 minutes, and then the sample was heat-pressed at 275°F for 2 minutes to bond the backing material.

[0240] Eight fungal leather-like material samples were tested for nine physical properties: thickness, tensile strength, tensile force, elongation at break, tear resistance, density, flexural stiffness, swelling index, and mass loss after immersion. The results of these tests are shown in Table 2 below.

[0241] Table 2 [Table 2] [Example 12]

[0242] Effect of carbon-nitrogen ratio on the properties of fungal leather-like materials Four growth media for surface fermentation of fungal biomass (e.g., as described in the '050, '626, and '421 applications) were prepared, each with the same fructose content. The carbon-to-nitrogen molar ratio ("CN ratio") of each medium was adjusted by increasing or decreasing the combined content of ammonium sulfate and urea (holding the ratio of these two components to each other constant) until the media had CN ratios of 5, 8.875, 10, and 20, respectively. Each medium was inoculated with 5% v / v of MK7 inoculum by shake flask inoculation.

[0243] 250 mL of each inoculum medium was poured into each of four glass trays, yielding a total of 16 inoculum trays. The glass trays were placed in a covered reactor at 27 °C and incubated for 120 hours. Photographs of each tray were taken at 72, 96, and 120 hours. Biomass from each tray was then harvested and inactivated in deionized water at 70 °C for 30 minutes. To evaluate relative growth performance, the wet yield of each sample was determined after inactivation.

[0244] Each sample of biomass was then converted into a fungal leather-like material according to the method described above in Example 11. After tanning, various physical parameters of each sample were measured. The results are shown in Table 3 (values ​​shown are the average for each C / N ratio).

[0245] Table 3 [Table 3]

[0246] Various qualitative differences between the samples, both before and after the tanning process, were also observed. The biomats grown in media with a C / N ratio of 5 were more "slippery" and significantly thinner in places, especially in the portions of the biomat grown near the center of the tray; once inactivated, these fungal samples were extremely flexible. The biomats grown in media with C / N ratios of 8.875 and 10 were very stiff after inactivation, likely due to the thickness of the biomat. The biomats grown in media with a C / N ratio of 20 were more flexible than those grown in media with C / N ratios of 8.875 and 10, both before and after the inactivation step.

[0247] After the tanning process, the sample from the CN ratio 5 medium had an uneven thickness, and the material was inflexible in the thickest areas, while the areas exposed to higher pressure during the heat-pressing process were observed to have a shinier, smoother texture, likely due to the alignment and compaction of the filamentous fungal filaments caused by the heat-pressing compression. The sample from the CN ratio 8.875 medium was the thickest, shrank the most during the drying process, had an uneven surface texture, and felt harder than the other samples. The sample from the CN ratio 10 medium had an intermediate thickness and was more flexible than the sample from the CN ratio 8.875 medium, but at the same time, exhibited an uneven surface. Similar to the sample from the CN ratio 5 medium, the areas exposed to the highest compression during the heat-pressing process were noticeably shiny. The sample obtained from the medium with a CN ratio of 20 had an intermediate thickness between the samples with a CN ratio of 5 and a CN ratio of 10, was relatively flexible, and had a slightly more uneven surface, but again the areas that were most compressed during heat pressing were the shiniest. [Example 13]

[0248] Thermal doping of fungal leather analogues Each of the five experimental samples was prepared as follows: 75 grams of glycerol, 27 grams of chitosan, 4.3 grams of citric acid, 880 milliliters of water, and 13.5 milliliters of concentrated hydrochloric acid were placed in a beaker and stirred until the chitosan was dissolved. Separately, 80 grams of wet filamentous fungal biomass produced by the surface fermentation method described herein and in the '050, '626, and '421 applications was placed in a kitchen blender and blended with 80 milliliters of water until homogeneous. 7.2 grams of thermal dopant were then added to the blender (except for the control sample), and the mixture was again blended until homogeneous. 160 grams of chitosan solution was then added to the blender, and the mixture was again homogenized. 300 grams of the resulting mixture was poured into a small, non-stick tray and dried at 90°F for 23 hours. The dried samples were heat-pressed at 100°C for 10 minutes to produce a moderately flexible, flat sheet approximately 2 millimeters thick.

[0249] The thermal properties of each of the samples were measured. The results of these measurements are shown in Table 4, although for comparison, control samples of undoped hide leather, undoped blended fungal leather simulant, and undoped leather made from intact biomat (CN ratios of 8.875, 10, and 20, designated "CN8," "CN10," and "CN20," respectively) were also tested.

[0250] Table 4 [Table 4] [Example 14]

[0251] The effect of polyvinyl acetate on material performance. A bulk mixture of biomass, water, glycerol, and adipic acid was mixed in a blender and divided into five equal portions. Five separate 6% polymer solutions containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan in an 80:20 mass ratio were created, each containing a different type of Kuraray PVA. Each polymer solution was combined with a portion of the biomass mixture to create five separate leather precursor mixtures. Each of these leather precursor mixtures was individually mixed using a handheld immersion blender, poured into small Pyrex trays, and then dried at room temperature with a fan blowing air over the tray. Once each sample reached a moisture content of 20% or less, it was heat-pressed twice separately at 100°C for 10 minutes. The samples were then dried overnight at room temperature before being tested for tensile and tear strength and qualitatively inspected for texture and water resistance. Each leather sample had a 75:25 loading ratio and a plasticizer content of 22.5 wt%. The results of this testing are shown in Table 5.

[0252] Table 5 [Table 5]

[0253] The viscosity of PVA, which is directly related to molecular weight, has a significant effect on tensile and tear strength, with low-viscosity PVAs resulting in poor tensile and tear properties. For higher-viscosity PVAs, the degree of hydrolysis appears to be a determining factor, with samples with a lower degree of hydrolysis exhibiting better tensile and tear properties. While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, we hypothesize that a higher concentration of acetate groups acts as a plasticizer, allowing for free movement of internal molecules and reducing cracking and brittleness at the microscopic level, thereby increasing the overall strength and flexibility of the sample.

[0254] The present disclosure, in its various aspects, embodiments, and configurations, includes components, methods, processes, systems, and / or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various aspects, embodiments, configurations, subcombinations, and subsets thereof. After understanding the present disclosure, those skilled in the art will understand how to make and use the various aspects, embodiments, and configurations. The present disclosure, in its various aspects, embodiments, and configurations, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and / or described herein or in its various aspects, embodiments, and configurations, including the absence of items that might have been used in previous devices or processes to, for example, improve performance, achieve ease, and / or reduce cost of implementation.

[0255] The foregoing discussion of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the form(s) disclosed herein. For example, in the above Detailed Description, various features of the present disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, and configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. Features of the aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the present disclosure may be combined in alternative aspects, embodiments, and configurations other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed disclosure requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, aspects of the present invention lie in fewer than all features of a single above-disclosed aspect, embodiment, or configuration. Thus, the following claims are incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0256] Furthermore, while the description of the present disclosure includes one or more aspects, embodiments, or configurations, and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure, e.g., as would be within the skill and knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to be entitled to include alternative aspects, embodiments, and configurations to the extent permitted, including alternative, interchangeable, and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges, or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternative, interchangeable, and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges, or steps are disclosed herein, and without any intention to release to the public any patentable subject matter.

Claims

1. a. Inactivated fungal biomass; and b. Polymer A textile material comprising: the fungal biomass:polymer loading ratio is from about 10:90 to about 40:60; A woven material, wherein the woven material has a tensile strength of at least about 3 MPa.

2. The woven material of claim 1, wherein the fungal biomass:polymer loading ratio is from about 10:90 to about 30:

70.

3. The woven material of claim 1, wherein the fungal biomass:polymer loading ratio is from about 15:85 to about 25:

75.

4. The textile material of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises two or more types of polymers.

5. The textile material of claim 1, wherein the polymer is selected from synthetic polymers, biopolymers, and combinations thereof.

6. The textile material of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises a synthetic polymer.

7. The textile material of claim 1, comprising about 20 wt% to about 40 wt% inactivated fungal biomass.

8. The textile material of claim 1, comprising about 20 wt% to about 30 wt% inactivated fungal biomass.

9. The textile material of claim 1, comprising about 20 wt% to about 25 wt% inactivated fungal biomass.

10. The woven material of claim 1, wherein the inactivated fungal biomass has an average particle size of less than about 75 micrometers.

11. The woven material of claim 1, wherein the inactivated fungal biomass has an average particle size of less than about 30 micrometers.

12. The woven material of claim 1, wherein the inactivated fungal biomass has an average particle size of less than about 20 micrometers.

13. 10. The woven material of claim 1 having a thickness of at least about 1 mm.

14. 10. The woven material of claim 1, having a tensile strength of at least about 10 MPa.

15. 10. The woven material of claim 1, having a tensile strength of at least about 15 MPa.

16. 10. The woven material of claim 1, having a bending stiffness of about 10 gram-centimeters or less.

17. 10. The woven material of claim 1, having a bending stiffness of about 5 gram-centimeters or less.

18. 10. The woven material of claim 1, having a bending stiffness of about 2 gram-centimeters or less.

19. 10. The woven material of claim 1, having a tear force of at least about 30 N.

20. 10. The woven material of claim 1, having a tear strength of at least about 10 N / mm.

21. The woven material of claim 1 having a breaking strain of about 75% to about 275%.

22. The textile composition of claim 1, having a swelling degree of about 30% to about 120%.

23. The textile composition of claim 1, having a mass loss after immersion of about 20% to about 30%.

24. The textile material of claim 1, wherein the polymer is crosslinked by a crosslinking agent.

25. The textile material of claim 24, wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of homobifunctional crosslinking agents, heterobifunctional crosslinking agents, photoreactive crosslinking agents, citric acid, tannic acid, suberic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, extracted vegetable tannins, glyoxal, and combinations thereof.

26. The textile material of claim 1 further comprising a non-fungal textile backing layer.

27. The fabric material of claim 26, wherein the backing layer is selected from acrylic fabric, alpaca fabric, angora fabric, cashmere fabric, coir fabric, cotton fabric, eisengarn fabric, hemp fabric, jute fabric, Kevlar fabric, linen fabric, microfiber fabric, mohair fabric, nylon fabric, olefin fabric, pashmina fabric, polyester fabric, piña fabric, ramie fabric, rayon fabric, sea silk fabric, silk fabric, sisal fabric, spandex fabric, spider silk fabric, wool fabric, and combinations thereof.

28. The woven material of claim 26, further comprising an adhesive for adhering to the woven backing.

29. The woven material of claim 1, wherein the woven material is embossed.

30. The textile material of claim 1 further comprising a dye.

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