Method for manufacturing a composite material, in particular a method for manufacturing a composite material from mycelium

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a composite material, in particular a method for manufacturing a composite material from mycelium.

Description

[0001] Method for manufacturing a composite material, in particular a method for manufacturing a composite material from mycelium

[0002] The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a composite material, in particular to a method of manufacturing a composite material from mycelium.

[0003] Mycelium is the vegetative part of fungi and is composed of a set of filaments, more or less branched, called hyphae.

[0004] Methods for manufacturing a composite material from mycelium are known. These methods are systematically based on a mixture of a fungal inoculum with a substrate comprising particles and with at least one nutrient material. According to the methods known from the state of the art, starting from a fungal inoculum and under controlled temperature and humidity conditions, mycelium develops by digesting the nutrient material to give rise to hyphae forming a network of mycelium cells connecting the particles composing the substrate. This results in a composite material formed by mycelium cells and by substrate particles.

[0005] Unfortunately, these processes give rise to the presence of contaminants, in particular the presence of yeasts and bacteria that feed and develop easily from the nutrient material systematically added, this nutrient material added to the substrate giving rise to significant contamination. Furthermore, these processes also give rise to the presence of contaminating mycelium, that is to say the presence of mycelium not originating from the fungal inoculum used but originating from other species of fungi such as Trichoderma sp, Neurospora sp and Penicillium sp.

[0006] Indeed, the systematic addition of carbohydrates and / or vitamins and / or other nutrients promotes colonization of the mixture (fungal inoculum + substrate + nutrient) by contaminants such as those mentioned above, which is unfavorable to obtaining a quality composite material and which reduces the production yields of such a composite material. In addition, the systematic addition of carbohydrates and / or vitamins and / or other nutrients complicates the manufacturing processes and therefore increases the manufacturing costs of a composite material from mycelium.

[0007] To solve at least part of these problems, the invention provides a method for manufacturing a composite material comprising:

[0008] - a first step of mixing a first predetermined fungal inoculum with a first substrate composed of particles to obtain a first mixture, and

[0009] - a first step of incubating said first mixture under temperature and relative humidity conditions allowing the formation of mycelium cells from said first predetermined fungal inoculum, said mycelium cells connecting together said particles composing said substrate to obtain said composite material formed by said mycelium cells and said particles.

[0010] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "fungal inoculum" means a small amount of fungal material used to enable the cultivation of a fungus, in particular to enable the cultivation of mycelium. The inoculum can be produced according to any known method for the production and cultivation of mushrooms, in particular according to any known method for the production and cultivation of mycelium: from mycelium as such, via a liquid suspension of mycelium fragments, via a liquid suspension of spores, via a solid or liquid nutrient culture medium for the mycelium, ...

[0011] The method according to the present invention is less complex than the methods currently known and makes it possible to overcome at least part of the problems mentioned above, in particular the contamination problems mentioned above. Indeed, it has been determined that the method according to the invention is not only easier to implement but less expensive and that it makes it possible to guarantee obtaining a quality composite material free from contaminants, while ensuring a high production yield.

[0012] Preferably, according to the invention, said first mixing step gives rise to a first mixture not supplemented with any nutrient material. In this sense, preferably, the first step of the method according to the invention is a first step of mixing a first predetermined fungal inoculum with a first substrate composed of particles to obtain a first mixture not supplemented with any nutrient material.

[0013] Advantageously, according to the invention, said particles composing said first substrate are fibers, for example fibers from coffee grounds, spent grain, straw, sawdust, grasses (for example: Japanese knotweed, grasses from the maintenance of green spaces, etc.) or any other source of fibers.

[0014] Preferably, according to the invention, said fibers intrinsically comprise nutritive substances digestible by said first fungal inoculum, in particular by mycelium derived from said first fungal inoculum. Therefore, it is not necessary to supplement the fungal inoculum + substrate mixture with any additional nutritive material as is systematically the case according to the methods of the state of the art. Advantageously, the fibers according to the invention are therefore sufficient and can ensure on their own the nutrition of the fungal inoculum, in particular the nutrition of the mycelium derived from said fungal inoculum, in order to ensure its development.

[0015] Preferably, the method according to the invention comprises a prior step of sterilization and / or pasteurization of said first substrate. Such sterilization and / or pasteurization of said first substrate is preferably carried out to avoid any presence of undesirable contaminants (yeasts, bacteria, contaminating mycelium, etc.) impacting the quality of the composite material to be obtained and impacting the production yield of a method according to the invention.

[0016] For example, according to the invention, said first fungal inoculum is a fungal inoculum of the fungus Coriolus versicolor or the fungus Ganoderma lucidium. Any other fungus is of course covered by the present invention.

[0017] Preferably, according to the invention, said first incubation step is carried out at a temperature between 10 and 30°C and at a relative humidity between 20 and 95%. It is understood that depending on the type of substrate and depending on the type of fungal inoculum used in the context of the method according to the invention, a person skilled in the art is perfectly capable of determining what the ideal incubation temperature and what the ideal relative incubation humidity are.

[0018] Preferably, according to the invention, said first incubation step is carried out in a mold in which said first mixture is placed and / or compressed so as to form an object made of composite material in said mold. According to this preferred embodiment, the composite material formed by mycelium cells and by particles (comprising the substrate), the mycelium cells connecting the particles together, gives rise directly to an object which will have the shape imposed by the mold.

[0019] Advantageously, according to the invention, an addition of additional fresh substrate can be carried out during said first incubation step.

[0020] Preferably, according to the invention, aeration of said first mixture is carried out during said first incubation step. Such aeration of the first mixture makes it possible to ensure optimal development of said fungal inoculum, in particular optimal development of the mycelium from said fungal inoculum, which promotes the production of a quality composite material.

[0021] Preferably, the method according to the invention comprises a step of dehydrating said composite material obtained in such a way as to prevent fruiting of mycelium obtained from said first fungal inoculum. According to the method according to the invention, it is not required that the mycelium obtained from said first fungal inoculum fruit, this not being necessary to obtain a composite material formed by mycelium cells and by particles (compounding the substrate), the mycelium cells connecting the particles together. However, according to the present invention, it is not excluded to allow fruiting of mycelium obtained from said first fungal inoculum to obtain a mushroom that can be harvested. In this case, dehydration of said composite material obtained will be carried out after harvesting the mushroom (fruited mycelium).

[0022] Advantageously, the method according to the invention comprises a step or steps of post-treatment of said dehydrated composite material, for example a post-treatment with lime milk or a post-treatment consisting of mechanical or laser engraving of said composite material. Any other post-treatment that can be applied to the dehydrated composite material is covered by the present invention.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment according to the invention, said first substrate is a substrate having been previously mixed with a second predetermined fungal inoculum to allow development of mycelium obtained from said second fungal inoculum and possibly collection of a fungus before using said substrate previously mixed with said second inoculum as a first substrate during said first mixing step. In the context of the present invention, it has been shown that when said first substrate is a substrate having been previously mixed with a second predetermined fungal inoculum is used, the yield of a method according to the invention is increased.In this sense, it has been observed that said first fungal inoculum develops more efficiently and gives rise more quickly to mycelium cells during the first incubation step of the first mixture when the first substrate is a substrate that has been previously mixed with a second predetermined fungal inoculum: faster formation of mycelium cells connecting the particles of the substrate together to obtain a composite material formed by the mycelium cells and the particles.

[0024] According to the invention, it is not excluded that the first and second fungal inoculum are identical.

[0025] Preferably, according to the invention, said substrate previously mixed with a second predetermined fungal inoculum is sterilized and / or pasteurized after development of mycelium obtained from said second fungal inoculum to obtain a fungus and optionally after collection of said fungus so that said mycelium obtained from said second fungal inoculum and / or said fungus can no longer develop. Such sterilization and / or pasteurization is preferably carried out to avoid any presence of undesirable contaminants (yeasts, bacteria, contaminating mycelium, etc.) impacting the quality of the composite material to be obtained and impacting the production yield of a process according to the invention. Advantageously, according to the invention, said second fungal inoculum is a fungal inoculum of the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus. Any other fungus is of course covered by the present invention.

[0026] The present invention also relates to a use of a composite material obtained according to the method according to the invention for manufacturing / obtaining an object, an insulating panel, packaging, protective elements (protective angle, etc.), a coffin, a funeral urn, a piece of furniture (table, chair, wardrobe, etc.) or any other object which can be obtained according to the method according to the present invention.

[0027] The present invention has been described in relation to specific embodiments, which are of purely illustrative value and should not be considered as limiting. In general, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the examples illustrated and / or described above.

[0028] The use of the verbs "comprendre", "include", "comprendre", or any other variant, as well as their conjugations, cannot in any way exclude the presence of elements other than those mentioned.

[0029] The use of the indefinite article "un", "une", or the definite article "le", "la" or "I'", to introduce an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of these elements.

Claims

Claims 1. Method for manufacturing a composite material comprising: - a first step of mixing a first predetermined fungal inoculum with a first substrate composed of particles to obtain a first mixture, - a first step of incubating said first mixture under temperature and relative humidity conditions allowing the formation of mycelium cells from said first predetermined fungal inoculum, said mycelium cells connecting together said particles composing said substrate to obtain said composite material formed by said mycelium cells and said particles.

2. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that said first mixing step gives rise to a first mixture not supplemented with any nutrient material.

3. Method of manufacturing a composite material according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said particles composing said first substrate are fibers.

4. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 3, characterized in that said fibers intrinsically comprise nutritive substances digestible by said first fungal inoculum, in particular by mycelium derived from said first fungal inoculum.

5. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a prior step of sterilization and / or pasteurization of said first substrate.

6. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said first fungal inoculum is a fungal inoculum of the fungus Coriolus versicolor or the fungus Ganoderma lucidium.

7. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said first incubation step is carried out at a temperature between 10 and 30°C and at a relative humidity between 20 and 95%.

8. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said first incubation step is carried out in a mold in which said first mixture is placed and / or compressed so as to form an object made of composite material in said mold.

9. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that an addition of fresh substrate is carried out during said first incubation step.

10. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that aeration of said first mixture is carried out during said first incubation step.

11. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a step of dehydrating said composite material obtained in such a way as to prevent fruiting of mycelium obtained from said first fungal inoculum.

12. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a step or steps of post-treatment of said dehydrated composite material, for example a post-treatment with lime milk or a post-treatment consisting of mechanical or laser engraving of said composite material.

13. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said first substrate is a substrate having been previously mixed with a second predetermined fungal inoculum to allow development of mycelium. obtained from said second fungal inoculum and possibly a collection of a fungus before using said substrate previously mixed with said second inoculum as a first substrate during said first mixing step.

14. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 13, characterized in that said substrate previously mixed with a second predetermined fungal inoculum is sterilized and / or pasteurized after development of mycelium obtained from said second fungal inoculum to obtain a fungus and optionally after collection of said fungus so that said mycelium obtained from said second fungal inoculum and / or said fungus can no longer develop.

15. Method for manufacturing a composite material according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that said second fungal inoculum is a fungal inoculum of the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus.

16. Use of a composite material obtained according to the process according to any one of claims 1 to 15 for manufacturing / obtaining an object, an insulating panel, packaging, protective elements (protective angle, etc.), a coffin, a funeral urn, a piece of furniture (table, chair, wardrobe, etc.) or any other object which can be obtained according to the process according to any one of claims 1 to 15.