Fungal biocomposites production from packaging industry residue: PET-coated SBS paperboard

Abstract Packaging generates approximately 40 tons/month of waste from Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) paperboard coated with Poly (Ethylene Terephthalate) PET. Concerns about environmental sustainability are pushing innovative materials with diverse applications to replace conventional synthetic materials. Biocomposites, which use fungal mycelium as a binder for the particles, are an emerging option in biodegradable and naturally sourced materials. This study aimed to make Pleurotus sajor-caju biocomposites, employing SBS paperboard packages coated with PET as the substrate. The study investigated two inoculum fractions (30% and 50%) and two drying methods (conventional and vacuum) at 60 °C. The biocomposites produced with a 50% inoculum and conventional drying displayed favorable characteristics, including a shorter processing time (16 days), a higher drying rate (5.58 g/day), low porosity (21,7%), compressive strength of 0.16 MPa, apparent density of 315 kg/m3 and satisfactory thermal stability.