Development and Characterization of Biomaterials Produced with Fungal Mycelium on Agroindustrial Residues

Production of synthetic plastics has increased substantially and shows no global signs of decline despite environmental concerns; today, annual production exceeds 450 million tons. In the search for more sustainable alternatives, several approaches have been explored, including biomaterials based on fungal mycelium combined with organic agricultural waste. In this study, the influence of two types of agricultural waste on the properties of a mycelium-based biocomposite was investigated. Two experiments were conducted using Pleurotus ostreatus, chopped banana leaves, coffee husks, and a 1:1 mixture of these two residues. The fungus colonized the substrates, binding the dispersed particles and giving rise to versatile materials. The colonized samples were then oven-dried, cut to size, and subjected to mechanical testing, swelling tests, scanning electron microscopy, and colorimetric analysis. The resulting materials exhibited low density, compressive strength, Young’s modulus, and swelling degree, with values ranging from 130 to 254 kg/m3, 29 to 268 Pa, 64 to 88 Pa, and 39 to 45%, respectively. The results show that the physical and mechanical properties of different types of agricultural waste strongly influence the properties of the resulting mycelium-based biocomposite, highlighting its potential for customization in sustainable applications as an alternative to synthetic plastics.