Exploring the Potential of Residual Aspergillus Mycelium as a Sustainable Material for Additive Biomanufacturing

Non-degradable materials are responsible for a variety of negative socio-environmental effects. In order to realize a sustainable bioeconomy a circular design of production systems based on biogenic resources is inevitable. Consequently, the recycling of residual and side-streams is becoming increasingly relevant. In this paper, we investigate the potential of using sterilized mycelium from Aspergillus niger, which occurs as a residual-product from the citric acid production, as a sustainable material for additive biomanufacturing by using the Liquid Deposition Modeling technology. The mycelium-based material is extruded through a specially designed printer head, enabling a multi-layered fabrication of complex structures. In combination with additives such as fibers the mycelium can lead to materials with promising mechanical characteristics and shows good properties for its use as an innovative material to be applied in additive manufacturing processes. We conclude that additive biomanufacturing with mycelium from Aspergillus is a sustainable alternative for traditional materials. Its biodegradability characteristic makes it a promising material for various applications and circular products. Finally, we outline further research and development issues to enable the transformation into industrial applications.