Mycelium biocomposites from spent coffee grounds, rice husk, and recycled paper for temporary eco-road guideposts: Microstructure-property relationships, fire resistance, and outdoor durability

IF 7 Q2 MATERIALS SCIENCE, COMPOSITES

Composites Part C Open Access Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-22 DOI:10.1016/j.jcomc.2026.100699

Pimpet Sratong-on , Supaluk Prapan , Warangkana Chaithanee , Kanyarat Puttawongsakul , Sutep Joy-A-Ka

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Abstract

Mycelium biocomposites (MBCs) offer a sustainable, zero-waste alternative for non-structural construction materials. This study investigated the influence of substrate morphology on MBC properties by using two novel waste streams: fibrous recycled paper (RP) alone and a particulate co-substrate of high-content spent coffee grounds (SCG) mixed with rice husks (RH), mainly for non-structural construction components (road guidepost). Three compositions of MBCs were fabricated: (MBC/RP, MBC/SCG50-RH50, MBC/SCG80-RH20). Compression test, water absorption, and fire resistance performance were characterized alongside microstructural analyses via SEM and X-ray μCT. Experimental results disclosed that substrate morphology critically governs MBC performance. MBC/RP achieved the highest compressive strength (1.67 MPa) at high strain 0.58 mm/mm and an excellent V-0 fire rating due to dense mycelial entanglement with fibrous substrate and protective char layer formation. Conversely, MBC/SCG-RH groups exhibited lower strength (0.25–0.46 MPa) and fire resistance. Nevertheless, MBC/SCG80-RH20 achieved the highest stiffness (2.41 MPa) and exhibited brittle behavior, linked to SCG-RH particle interlocking that created a closed-pore structure (58.27–61.61 % porosity) and significantly lower water uptake (130 %) than open-pored MBC/RP (272 % water uptake and 52.87 % porosity). Accordingly, MBC/SCG-RH groups are better suited for biodegradable packaging while MBC/RP was the only candidate satisfying non-structural construction materials specifications. Despite susceptible to high moisture, MBC/RP maintained structural integrity in dry environments, demonstrating a functional lifespan exceeding three months. The practical feasibility was validated by successfully fabricating an initial 1:4 scale MBC/RP road guidepost prototype. These findings confirm the potential of tailoring waste resources to meet mechanical, fire performance, and degradability for non-load-bearing outdoor applications.

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用废咖啡渣、稻壳和再生纸制成的菌丝生物复合材料用于临时生态道路路标：微观结构-性能关系、防火性和户外耐久性

菌丝体生物复合材料（MBCs）为非结构建筑材料提供了一种可持续的、零浪费的替代品。本研究通过两种新型废物流：单独的纤维再生纸（RP）和高含量废咖啡渣（SCG）混合稻壳（RH）的颗粒共基质，研究了基质形态对MBC性能的影响，主要用于非结构建筑部件（道路路标）。制备了MBC/RP、MBC/SCG50-RH50、MBC/SCG80-RH20三种复合材料。通过扫描电镜（SEM）和x射线μCT （X-ray μCT）对材料的压缩性能、吸水性能和耐火性能进行了表征。实验结果表明，衬底形态对MBC性能有重要影响。MBC/RP在高应变0.58 mm/mm时获得了最高的抗压强度（1.67 MPa）和优异的V-0防火等级，这是由于菌丝体与纤维基体紧密缠绕和形成保护性炭层。相反，MBC/SCG-RH组强度较低（0.25 ~ 0.46 MPa），耐火性较低。然而，MBC/SCG80-RH20获得了最高的刚度（2.41 MPa），并表现出脆性行为，这与SCG-RH颗粒互锁有关，形成了封闭孔隙结构（58.27 - 61.61%孔隙率），吸水率（130%）明显低于开放孔隙的MBC/RP（吸水率为272 %，孔隙率为52.87%）。因此，MBC/SCG-RH基团更适合生物降解包装，而MBC/RP是唯一满足非结构建筑材料规格的候选材料。尽管MBC/RP易受高湿度影响，但在干燥环境中仍能保持结构完整性，其使用寿命超过3个月。通过成功制作1:4比例的MBC/RP道路路标原型，验证了实际可行性。这些发现证实了调整废物资源以满足非承重户外应用的机械、防火性能和可降解性的潜力。

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