The Impact of Mycelium Inoculation on 3D Printed Structural Composites

<b>The creation of living materials has received increased attention for its potential to provide sustainable, functional materials with novel properties. Mycelium-based materials have been of particular interest due to their relatively rapid growth rate and filamentous hyphae, which can act as fibrous reinforcement in packaging, structural, and other material applications. Characterization of mycelium composites in the materials science and architecture fields has typically been limited in scope, often focusing on bulk mechanical properties in sheets or molded bricks with single-material feedstocks. Here, we introduce a library of living-hybrid composites for additive manufacturing with resolution as high as 1 mm, and specifically characterize the impact of various inoculation methods, printing methods, and time-resolved growth on mechanical and chemical properties. We further explore interesting phenomena such as self-healing behavior and potential applications for these bio-hybrid composites.</b>