Development of an insulating material based on mycelium Trametes elegans and the study of its hygrothermal properties

This work presents the hygroscopic and thermal properties of a material developed from cornstack and mycelium. The materials were produced using strains of macromycetes fungi Trametes elegans as natural binder for application as thermal isolation. The results shown are for the equilibrium moisture content on a wet basis and on a dry basis, moisture absorption in different relative humidity environments and thermal conductivity. The results obtained show that the hygrothermal properties of this material make it suitable as thermal insulator, having a thermal conductivity value of 0.043 W/mK and absorbing less than 9% humidity in environments of up to 85% relative humidity.