Desarrollo tecnológico de panel multicapa a partir de residuos lignocelulósicos bio ligados con micelio de hongos
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2024-12-06
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Las crisis sanitarias recientes han llegado junto a otras problemáticas
interconectadas entre sí: ambientales, económicas, políticas, ecológicas,
energéticas y sociales. En la era del Capitaloceno, comienza a evidenciarse en la
composición física del planeta Tierra el impacto del modelo de consumo actual de
los humanos sobre los ecosistemas. Situados en este contexto, signado por la
contaminación, el cambio climático y el agotamiento de las reservas fósiles, resulta
impostergable la búsqueda de soluciones para mejorar las prácticas y materiales
sobre los cuales se erigen nuestras ciudades.
En Argentina, alrededor de 107 toneladas anuales de residuos lignocelulósicos
industriales son enterrados, quemados, o acumulados a cielo abierto junto a
plásticos de origen fósil que son dificilmente biodegradables. Las consecuencias del
modelo productivo actual invitan a reflexionar acerca de nuevas materialidades,
que apunten a construir hábitats más saludables. Es importante también, impulsar
el debate acerca del desarrollo de tecnologías a favor del sostenimiento de la vida.
En este sentido, los materiales biobasados creados mediante el cultivo de
microorganismos fúngicos que forman micelio como aglomerante sobre residuos,
pueden constituir una solución al problema de los plásticos. En este proceso los
flujos de residuos orgánicos, como los residuos agrícolas y urbanos, se valorizan,
mientras que el micomaterial cultivado es biodegradable al final de su ciclo de vida;
un proceso alineado con el espíritu de la economía circular. A pesar de esta promesa,
las características de estos materiales han permanecido en su mayor parte,
inexploradas. En parte por desconocimiento, o debido a la mala prensa que han
tenido históricamente los hongos como propagadores de enfermedades o culpables
de intoxicaciones en humanos.
Este trabajo propone realizar un aporte pragmático en el desarrollo de un material
biobasado y biodegradable a partir de residuos lignocelulósicos locales bioligados
con micelio, como una alternativa para el reemplazo de plásticos que actualmente
se utilizan en la construcción con fines de aislación térmica. La interacción entre
los hongos y sus sustratos y las propiedades de los materiales resultantes tienen
una estrecha relación con las condiciones ambientales, las cepas utilizadas y los
residuos seleccionados. Además, se ha incorporado residuos orgánicos con aceites
esenciales para el estudio de bio repelencia frente a insectos, con el objetivo de
mejorar la salubridad de las construcciones.
Esta investigación híbrida y transdisciplinar también es resultado de muchas
interacciones conceptuales y epistémicas, y está guiada por la motivación personal
de explorar las posibilidades de crecimiento y fabricación de materiales de micelio
desde la perspectiva de la biología al servicio del hábitat sostenible, la ingeniería de
materiales, el ecofeminismo y la arquitectura.
Recent health crises have been accompanied by various interconnected issues, including environmental, economic, political, ecological, energy, and social challenges. In the era of the Capitalocene, the effects of humanity's current consumption model on ecosystems are becoming increasingly apparent in the physical makeup of the planet. In this context—marked by pollution, climate change, and the depletion of fossil resources—the urgent need to find solutions for improving the materials and practices on which our cities are built can no longer be postponed. In Argentina, around 107 tons of industrial lignocellulosic waste are either buried, burned, or left exposed alongside fossil-based plastics that are barely biodegradable. The consequences of the dominant production model force us to reflect on new material possibilities that aim to create healthier living environments. Additionally, it’s crucial to foster discussions around developing technologies that support life. In this regard, biobased materials—created through the cultivation of fungal microorganisms that produce mycelium as a natural binder—present a potential solution to the plastic problem. This process not only adds value to organic waste streams, such as agricultural and urban waste, but also results in a biodegradable material that can be absorbed back into nature at the end of its life cycle—an approach aligned with the principles of the circular economy. However, despite this potential, the properties of these materials remain largely unexplored. This is partly due to a lack of awareness and the historical stigma around mushrooms, which have long been associated with spreading diseases or causing human intoxication. This research aims to contribute pragmatically to the development of a biobased, biodegradable material derived from local lignocellulosic waste and biobonded with mycelium as an alternative to the plastics currently used in construction for thermal insulation. The interaction between fungi and their substrates, as well as the properties of the resulting materials, are closely linked to environmental conditions, the strains of fungi used, and the types of waste selected. Additionally, organic waste containing essential oils has been incorporated to study bio repellency against insects, with the goal of improving building health. This hybrid, transdisciplinary research is the product of many conceptual and epistemic exchanges. It is driven by a personal motivation to explore the potential of mycelium-based materials, integrating perspectives from biology, sustainable habitat design, materials engineering, ecofeminism, and architecture.
Recent health crises have been accompanied by various interconnected issues, including environmental, economic, political, ecological, energy, and social challenges. In the era of the Capitalocene, the effects of humanity's current consumption model on ecosystems are becoming increasingly apparent in the physical makeup of the planet. In this context—marked by pollution, climate change, and the depletion of fossil resources—the urgent need to find solutions for improving the materials and practices on which our cities are built can no longer be postponed. In Argentina, around 107 tons of industrial lignocellulosic waste are either buried, burned, or left exposed alongside fossil-based plastics that are barely biodegradable. The consequences of the dominant production model force us to reflect on new material possibilities that aim to create healthier living environments. Additionally, it’s crucial to foster discussions around developing technologies that support life. In this regard, biobased materials—created through the cultivation of fungal microorganisms that produce mycelium as a natural binder—present a potential solution to the plastic problem. This process not only adds value to organic waste streams, such as agricultural and urban waste, but also results in a biodegradable material that can be absorbed back into nature at the end of its life cycle—an approach aligned with the principles of the circular economy. However, despite this potential, the properties of these materials remain largely unexplored. This is partly due to a lack of awareness and the historical stigma around mushrooms, which have long been associated with spreading diseases or causing human intoxication. This research aims to contribute pragmatically to the development of a biobased, biodegradable material derived from local lignocellulosic waste and biobonded with mycelium as an alternative to the plastics currently used in construction for thermal insulation. The interaction between fungi and their substrates, as well as the properties of the resulting materials, are closely linked to environmental conditions, the strains of fungi used, and the types of waste selected. Additionally, organic waste containing essential oils has been incorporated to study bio repellency against insects, with the goal of improving building health. This hybrid, transdisciplinary research is the product of many conceptual and epistemic exchanges. It is driven by a personal motivation to explore the potential of mycelium-based materials, integrating perspectives from biology, sustainable habitat design, materials engineering, ecofeminism, and architecture.
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Micromateriales, micelio, residuos, construcción
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