Overview
- Swinburne researchers used Penicillium chrysogenum to bind shredded polyurethane mattress foam into a solid, lightweight biocomposite.
- The fungal growth triggered natural calcium carbonate formation within the foam, enhancing structure and thermal stability.
- In laboratory tests, the material stayed stable near 1,000°C (1,832°F) and insulated nearly as well as commercial products.
- The findings, published in Scientific Reports in 2025, remain at an early research stage with scale-up, durability studies, and fire/safety certification still required for use in insulation panels or other building components.
- The work targets a difficult waste stream, with about 1.8 million mattresses discarded annually in Australia and roughly 50,000 thrown out each day in the United States.