Mycological biopolymers grown in void space tooling

Abstract

A mycological biopolymer product consisting entirely of fungal mycelium is made by inoculating a nutritive substrate with a selected fungus in a sealed environment except for a void space, which space is subsequently filled with a network of undifferentiated fungal mycelium. The environmental conditions for producing the mycological biopolymer product, i.e. a high carbon dioxide (CO2) content (from 5% to 7% by volume) and an elevated temperature (from 85° F. to 95° F.), prevent full differentiation of the fungus into a mushroom. There are no stipe, cap, or spores produced. The biopolymer product grows into the void space of the tool, filling the space with an undifferentiated mycelium chitin-polymer, which is subsequently extracted from the substrate and dried.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for growing a mycological biopolymer, comprising:
 a tool defining a cavity and an opening into the cavity;   a nutritive substrate and a fungus, the nutritive substrate inoculated with fungal mycelia and positioned within the cavity, wherein growth of the mycelia within the cavity produces carbon dioxide;   a lid configured to fit on the tool to seal the cavity, the lid having only one lid outlet therein defining a void space open to fresh air,   wherein the lid outlet is configured to allow the carbon dioxide to diffuse out of the tool to create a gradient of carbon dioxide, and   wherein the void space is configured to provide the mycelia with space to grow along the gradient without producing a stipe, cap or spore therein.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the void space is configured to create an environment constituting from 3% to 7% carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the void space has an environmental temperature from 85° F. to 95° F. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the void space is disposed vertically above the substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the void space is disposed horizontally beside the substrate. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the tool further comprises a tool inlet and a tool outlet, wherein the tool inlet is configured to provide a liquid nutrient into the cavity for feeding the mycelia, and the tool outlet is configured to remove waste from the cavity. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for growing a mycological biopolymer, comprising:
 a nutritive substrate and a fungus;   a tool filled with the nutritive substance and the fungus;   a lid positioned on the tool to cover and seal the nutritive substance and the fungus within the tool, the lid having only one lid outlet therein defining a void space open to fresh air, wherein the void space comprises an incubation environment comprising a temperature between 85° F. to 95° F., and carbon dioxide content between 3% to 7%; and   a mycological biopolymer within the void space without a stipe, cap or spore.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising one or more mats suspended in the void space and incorporated into the mycological biopolymer, for increase tensile strength of the mycological biopolymer. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising at least one morphological modifier on a surface of the mycological biopolymer and/or within the incubation environment, the morphological modifier configured to alter the morphology of the mycelia within the mycological polymer. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the morphological modifier comprises at least one of a hormone, forskolin, calcium, and a calcium blocker. 
     
     
         26 . A compressed mycological biopolymer comprising the mycological biopolymer of  claim 22 , wherein the compressed mycological biopolymer is compressed to predetermined dimensions to increase strength and density prior to the step of drying. 
     
     
         27 . The compressed mycological biopolymer of  claim 26 , wherein the compressed mycological biopolymer comprises a three-dimensional compression in a predetermined shape. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising a pair of laminates, with the mycological biopolymer sandwiched between and adhered to the pair of laminates. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus for growing a mycological biopolymer, comprising:
 a tool comprising:
 a pair of vertically disposed chambers comprising a first chamber and a second chamber; and 
 a vertically disposed wall separating the chambers, wherein a plurality of chamber openings extend through the wall to allow the first chamber and the second chamber to communicate with each other; 
   a first inlet configured to provide a liquid nutrient to the first chamber, and pass the through a nutritive substrate and a fungus contained within the first chamber; and   a second inlet configured to provide environmental air through the second chamber.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the first inlet and the second inlet are configured such that the liquid nutrient and the environmental flow in opposite directions relative to each other. 
     
     
         31 . An apparatus for growing a mycological biopolymer, comprising:
 a chamber;   an inoculated substrate placed into the chamber, the inoculated substrate containing a fungus;   mycelium growth from the fungus within the chamber, wherein the chamber comprises carbon dioxide at a chamber carbon dioxide level resulting from respiration of the mycelium growth;   a perforated barrier which separates the chamber from an environment, wherein the environment comprises carbon dioxide at an environment carbon dioxide level that is less than the chamber carbon dioxide level, wherein the perforated barrier is configured to allow the carbon dioxide within the chamber to diffuse through the perforated barrier to the environment, and create a carbon dioxide gradient between the chamber and the environment; and   a mycological biopolymer extending from the chamber, through the perforated barrier, and into the environment, without a stipe, cap or spore.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the environment has a carbon dioxide content of 3% to 7%. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the environment has an environmental temperature from 85° F. to 95° F. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the environment is disposed vertically above the substrate. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the environment is disposed horizontally beside the substrate. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the perforated barrier comprises a lid having only one outlet. 
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the perforated barrier comprises a reinforcement layer. 
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein the reinforcement layer has a pore size greater than 1 micron. 
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 37 , wherein the reinforcement layer is a woven or non-woven mat. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , further comprising at least one morphological modifier on a surface of the mycological biopolymer and/or within the incubation environment, the morphological modifier configured to alter the morphology of the mycelia within the mycological polymer. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the morphological modifier comprises at least one of a hormone, forskolin, calcium, and a calcium blocker.