Nuno André Ferreira / Lusa
Foam from used mattresses can be transformed into insulation “grown” with fungi and resistant to fire, researchers guarantee, in a new study.
Old mattresses can get a second life as a fire-resistant construction material in an innovative approach that enlists the help of fungi.
The proposal is described by scientists at Swinburne University of Technology and was in the journal Scientific Reports. The scientists’ idea is to use fungi to “grow” a type of light and solid insulation.
According to the study, the responsible team developed a process that combines crushed mattress foam with the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. As the fungus develops, it physically attaches to the foam and promotes the formation of mineral compounds. These minerals, according to the authors, allow the material to support temperatures close to 1,000 ºC.
The result is a lightweight but structurally cohesive materialwith performance close to that of insulation solutions already used in homes and offices.
Mattresses are among the most difficult products to recycle and can take around 120 years to decompose, recalls the study’s co-author, The Hong Phong Nguyenin . Its durability, volume and composition make the reuse process complex and expensive, but these same characteristics can apparently be advantageous to serve as a “substrate” for fungal growth: almost like a kind of “cultivation field” where the organism settles and transforms the waste.
The application of an eventual product based on this innovation could go beyond insulation, such as fire-resistant panels and components for emerging construction methods, such as buildings produced by 3D printing. Despite the potential, scientists recognize that the technology is still far from commercial application and, even if it advances, it will not quickly solve the global mattress waste crisis.
