Evaluation of the Influence of Temperature on the Mechanical Properties of Biocomposites

Environmentally friendly or “green” materials are receiving growing attention due to their sustainability and low energy requirements during production. One such material is mycelium, which can be described as a particle board where fungal hyphae act as a natural adhesive instead of synthetic binders. This biodegradable and low-energy material is commonly used in packaging and interior design. However, its relatively weak mechanical properties limit its use in load-bearing or structural applications. To mitigate the main drawback of mycelium—its poor mechanical performance—an original mycelium–wood biocomposite with unique properties was developed. Using an original methodology and equipment, it was determined that its dynamic modulus of elasticity and coefficient of damping depend not only on the wood-to-mycelium ratio within the biocomposite, but also on the orientation of the wooden lamella embedded in it. Subsequently, the influence of ambient temperature on the viscoelastic properties of samples with different “configurations” was assessed. The samples were conditioned for 24 h at temperatures ranging from –20 °C to +40 °C. Results showed that temperature had a lesser effect on the biocomposite compared to natural wood. As temperature increased, the MOEd of samples with 37% wood decreased by about 3–4%, while that of samples with 11% wood remained nearly unchanged. The coefficient of damping increased by 20–30% across all cases.