Using mycelium as a binder alternative to cement in the production of reconstituted lower globigerina limestone blocks

Abstract

Cement is a commonly used construction material which is used for various applications, however it results in the generation of significant amounts of carbon dioxide. Cement finds its use as a binder for the production of reconstituted stone, made from construction and demolition and waste. To address this issue of pollution, an alternative binding material should be used, one which is natural and produces less carbon dioxide. Mycelium is the roots of a growing fungus, which can be used bind the substrate on which it grows. It is an environmentally friendly binder that can replace cement in the production of reconstituted stone. In this dissertation, an experimental methodology was used, which involved growing mycelium with limestone. The mycelium species used was Trametes versicolor, grown with softwood sawdust, flour, and water. Throughout this study, it was noted that using improperly cleaned moulds and sample dryness resulted in poor mycelium growth. Time was also a crucial factor, since long storage periods of the mycelium before growth resulted in quality loss. Therefore, three factors that have an impact on mycelium growth are mould cleanliness, water content and storage time before growth. When it came to testing the compressive strength of the samples results indicated that although the compressive strength values achieved are not high, it was at least showed that binding of limestone is in fact achievable with mycelium.