Headphones made of Fungus: Biodegradable

Scientists and designers in Finland collaborated to create a sustainable prototype of biodegradable headphones that are made from fungus.

The materials have the potential to serve as alternatives to leather and plastic.

The headphones are called Korvaa headphones.

Korvaa Prototype

To understand the technicalities and functionalities. 

We first need to grab the information about Microbes and Cellulose.

Microbes and Cellulose:

Microbes: microorganisms or microscopic organisms that are unicellular. 

This cannot be viewed with naked eyes, the microscope is used for observation. 

Almost 60% of the earth's living matter consists of them

Microbes include bacteria, algae, fungi, viruses

microbes

These microorganisms are appreciably useful in a wide range of chemicals and enzymes. 

Microbes are older than dirt, we can easily eat them and compose of unique shapes

Cellulose: This comprises about 33% of all vegetable matter (90% of cotton and 50% of wood).'

The combination of cellulose and microbes materials encourage superior properties, 

Like Mechanical Strength and better Biodegradability to the final product

Design, Innovation, and Production:

Korvaa was created in a joint effort by three sets of scientists at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland to raise awareness about microbes. 

To ensure and check the possibility of using them in sustainable production. 

They were created in collaboration with Aalto University and design firm Aivan

They wanted to mesh these sustainable materials for making a headset. 

Why & How they made it possible?

The reason is they thought it would be a wonderful option and chance to combine different materials. 

Secondly, headphones incorporate leathers and different kinds of plastics, which aren't sustainable materials.

In the majority, 

Oil and natural gas are the 2 main raw materials used for the production of plastics

That means a ton of plastic, leather, and synthetic leathers, materials heavily rely on nonrenewable, nonbiodegradable resources.

Therefore fungus, bacteria, and yeast i.e., different microbes came into the development of electronic devices.

Pre-Production:

The headband is made of bioplastic. 

To make that bioplastic, the team uses plain old baker's yeast

Through chemical processes, the team turns the yeast into a bioplastic substance. 

That substance gets 3D-printed and hardened.

Component

The cushioned ear cups were created with, 

The help of fungal proteins and other plant-based materials grown in the lab

Researchers of Korvaa made the soft padding of the headphones by combining fungus and cellulose to create a foamy protein. 

Once the foam was created, they piped it into molds to turn it into headphone-friendly cushions. 

The more structural components of the headphones were made with biodegradable PLA plastic made from yeast. 

The only parts that aren’t bio-based are the electrical components.

Materials:

• Leatherlike Material With Fungal Mycelium: The growth of the fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium creates a leather-like material.
  
  
• Protein Foam and Plant Cellulose: A foaming protein, hydrophobin, nature’s strongest “bubble-maker” which aids fungal cells to grow into the air from moist soil.
  
  
• Biosynthetic Spider Silk: In the electrospinning method, the negatively charged extrusion tip shoots the protein nanofibres to the positively charged plate, creating a nonwoven structure that can be, for example, made into strong flexible yarn.
  
  
• Microbial Bioplastic PLA: The 3D printed biodegradable plastic PLA is made from lactic acid i.e., from baker’s yeast.
  
  

What is the significance of Korvaa?

source: korvaa.com

Korvaa is applying fresh-from-the-lab findings on everyday objects as a way of highlighting the research of novel, biologically engineered materials. 

The initiative brings together a mix of unique and surprising talent. 

There is a global interest in new, bio-based materials and their various applications

Earned media coverage around the initiative’s first project, a pair of Korvaa headphones has reached a worldwide audience of over 350 million people.

As of right now, the headphones aren’t commercially available.

But the scientists hope they will one day help replace electronic devices with oil-based plastics.

Our Opinion:

Microbes and Cellulose collaboration share a wish to jumpstart the development and accessibility of new, sustainable, bio-based materials into future-proof, commercially viable products.

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