Bio-Derived Barrier Coatings: A New Frontier in Sustainable Composites
On this episode, researchers Caitlin Howell and Mehdi Tajvidi from the University of Maine join the show to discuss their research in developing a fully bio-derived composite coating that is grown, not manufactured. By combining edible fungal mycelium with cellulose nanofibrils, they have developed a barrier coating that can be formed directly on paper and textiles through a low-energy process.
The result is a highly water-resistant surface with contact angles approaching 140° and significantly reduced water absorption, pointing to a viable path toward replacing traditional plastic-based…
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