EP-4741490-A1 - CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURE COMPRISING MUSHROOM MYCELIUM, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND THIN FILM COMPRISING THE SAME

Abstract

The present invention relates to a crystalline structure comprising mushroom mycelium, a method for manufacturing the same, and a thin film comprising the same. According to the present invention, when a coating solution containing an alkali metal, an aromatic hydrocarbon, and mushroom mycelium in a polar organic solvent is applied to a substrate and the solvent is evaporated at room temperature, a needle-like metal-organic compound comprising the alkali metal and the aromatic hydrocarbon acts as a nucleating agent to form crystal nuclei during the evaporative crystallization process, while simultaneously separating the mushroom mycelium into thread-like hyphae. As a result, the hyphae of the mushroom mycelium interact with the metal-organic compound to induce self-assembly and form a crystalline structure, thereby improving the mechanical properties of the substrate, such as tensile strength, force, and elongation at break.

Inventors

• LEE, WON JUN
• JEON, EUN SOO

Assignees

• Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation Dankook University

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20251105

Claims (16)

1. A crystalline structure comprising self-assembled spherulite of thread-like mushroom hyphae and needle-like metal-organic compound.
2. The crystalline structure according to claim 1, wherein the crystalline structure comprises the spherulites aligned radially from the center of the crystalline structure.
3. The crystalline structure according to claim 2, wherein the spherulites have cross-section with a circular, elliptical, or bow-tie-shaped.
4. The crystalline structure according to claim 1, wherein the crystalline structure is configured such that the spherulites are aggregated together.
5. The crystalline structure according to claim 1, wherein the crystalline structure is configured such that the spherulites are connected to non-self-assembled needle-like metal-organic compounds or mushroom hyphae.
6. The crystalline structure according to claim 1, wherein the crystalline structure is configured such that some spherulites are aggregated while others are connected to non-self-assembled needle-like metal-organic compounds or mushroom hyphae.
7. The crystalline structure according to claim 1, wherein the mushroom is selected from the group consisting of Flammulina filiformis, Ganoderma lucidum, Tricholoma matsutake, Hericium erinaceus, Amanita porphyria, Auricularia auricula-judae, Boletus auripes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Sparassis crispa (Wulf) Fr, Tylopilus neofelleus Hongo, and Pleurotus eryngii (De Candolle ex Fries) Quel.
8. The crystalline structure according to claim 1, wherein the metal-organic compound is sodium naphthalide or potassium naphthalide.
9. The crystalline structure according to claim 1, wherein the crystalline structure has a diameter ranging from 5 µm to 10 µm.
10. A method for manufacturing a crystalline structure, comprising: a step (S10) of preparing a metal-organic compound solution by dissolving an alkali metal and an aromatic hydrocarbon in a polar organic solvent under an inert atmosphere; a step (S20) of preparing a mushroom mycelium-metal-organic compound solution by mixing mushroom mycelium into the metal-organic compound solution and stirring the mixture to dissolve the mushroom mycelium; and a step (S30) forming a crystalline structure by applying the mushroom mycelium-metal-organic compound solution onto a substrate surface and evaporating the solvent to induce crystallization.
11. The method for manufacturing a crystalline structure according to claim 10, wherein, when the mushroom mycelium is mixed into the metal-organic compound solution, the mixing ratio of the metal to the mushroom mycelium is in the range of 1:0.5 to 1:4.5 by weight.
12. The method for manufacturing a crystalline structure according to claim 10, wherein the evaporation of the solvent is performed at room temperature of 20 °C to 30 °C.
13. A crystalline structure thin film comprising a crystalline structure formed by self-assembly of thread-like mushroom hyphae and needle-like metal-organic compound.
14. The crystalline structure thin film according to claim 13, wherein the crystalline structure comprises spherulites aligned radially from the center of the crystalline structure.
15. The crystalline structure thin film according to claim 13, wherein the crystalline structure thin film is formed in multiple layers.
16. The crystalline structure thin film according to claim 13, wherein the metal contained in the metal-organic compound and the mushroom hyphae are present at a weight ratio of 1:0.5 to 1:4.5.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a crystalline structure comprising mushroom mycelium, and more particularly, to a spherulitic crystalline structure comprising mushroom mycelium, a method for manufacturing the same, and a thin film comprising the same. 2. Description of the Related Art Mushroom mycelium refers to the root-like part of a mushroom, consisting of thin, thread-like hyphae that are densely intertwined to form a mesh-like structure, which makes it suitable for use as an industrial material. Conventional technologies for materialization of mycelium have primarily relied either on the use of mycelium-based composite materials containing solid media or on the production of materials using specific components extracted from mycelium, such as chitin and glucan. However, these approaches have several limitations. First, the mycelium-based composite materials containing solid media tend to exhibit poor flexibility and processability. Second, the methods that rely on extracting major components from mycelium, such as chitin and glucan, require complex pretreatment processes, which increase production costs and lead to low yields. Materials produced by such methods have failed to fully exploit the anisotropy inherent in the filamentous structure of mycelium, thereby limiting the strength and durability of the final material. Accordingly, there is a need for a new approach utilizing mushroom mycelium that can improve the strength and durability of the resulting material. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-described problems associated with prior art, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a crystalline structure comprising mushroom mycelium. A second object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing the crystalline structure. A third object of the present invention is to provide a thin film comprising the crystalline structure. The objects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from the description below. In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, one aspect of the present invention provides a crystalline structure comprising mushroom mycelium. The crystalline structure may be formed by self-assembly of thread-like mushroom hyphae and needle-like metal-organic compound spherulites. The crystalline structure may comprise spherulites aligned radially from the center of the structure. The spherulites may have a circular, elliptical, or bow-tie-shaped cross-section. The crystalline structure may be configured such that the spherulites are aggregated together. The crystalline structure may be configured such that the spherulites are connected to non-self-assembled needle-like metal-organic compounds or mushroom hyphae. The crystalline structure may be configured such that some spherulites are aggregated while others are connected to non-self-assembled needle-like metal-organic compounds or mushroom hyphae. The mushroom may be selected from the group consisting of Flammulina filiformis, Ganoderma lucidum, Tricholoma matsutake, Hericium erinaceus, Amanita porphyria, Auricularia auricula-judae, Boletus auripes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Sparassis crispa (Wulf) Fr, Tylopilus neofelleus Hongo, and Pleurotus eryngii (De Candolle ex Fries) Quel. The metal-organic compound may be sodium naphthalide or potassium naphthalide. The spherulites may have a diameter ranging from 5 µm to 10 µm. Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a crystalline structure comprising the mushroom mycelium. The method for manufacturing the crystalline structure may comprise: a step (S10) of preparing a metal-organic compound solution by dissolving an alkali metal and an aromatic hydrocarbon in a polar organic solvent under an inert atmosphere; a step (S20) of preparing a mushroom mycelium-metal-organic compound solution by mixing mushroom mycelium into the metal-organic compound solution and stirring the mixture to dissolve the mushroom mycelium; and a step (S30) forming a crystalline structure by applying the mushroom mycelium-metal-organic compound solution onto a substrate surface and evaporating the solvent to induce crystallization. In the method for manufacturing the crystalline structure, when the mushroom mycelium is mixed into the metal-organic compound solution, the mixing ratio of the metal to the mushroom mycelium may be in the range of 1:0.5 to 1:4.5 by weight. The evaporation of the solvent may be performed at room temperature of 20 °C to 30 °C. Still another aspect of the present invention provides a crystalline structure thin film comprising the crystalline structure. The crystalline structure thin film may be formed in multiple layers. In the crystalline structure thin film, the metal contained