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. 2019 Oct 26:6:17.
doi: 10.1186/s40694-019-0080-y. eCollection 2019.

Fungi as source for new bio-based materials: a patent review

Kustrim Cerimi #  1   2 , Kerem Can Akkaya #  1   2 , Carsten Pohl  2 , Bertram Schmidt  2 , Peter Neubauer  1
Affiliations

Fungi as source for new bio-based materials: a patent review

Kustrim Cerimi et al. Fungal Biol Biotechnol. .

Abstract

Background: The circular economy closes loops in industrial manufacturing processes and minimizes waste. A bio-based economy aims to replace fossil-based resources and processes by sustainable alternatives which exploits renewable biomass for the generation of products used in our daily live. A current trend in fungal biotechnology-the production of fungal-based biomaterials-will contribute to both.

Results: This study gives an overview of various trends and development applications in which fungal mycelium is used as new and sustainable biomaterial. A patent survey covering the last decade (2009-2018) yielded 47 patents and patent applications claiming fungal biomass or fungal composite materials for new applications in the packaging, textile, leather and automotive industries. Furthermore, fungal-based materials are envisaged for thermal insulation and as fire protection materials. Most patents and patent applications describe the use of different lignin- and cellulose-containing waste biomass as substrate for fungal cultivations, covering 27 different fungal species in total. Our search uncovered that most patent activities are on-going in the United States and in China.

Conclusion: Current patent developments in the field suggest that fungal bio-based materials will considerable shape the future of material sciences and material applications. Fungal materials can be considered as an excellent renewable and degradable material alternative with a high innovation potential and have the potential to replace current petroleum-based materials.

Keywords: Automotive industry; Biomaterial; Filamentous fungi; Fungal composite material; Fungal leather; Packaging material; Textile.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Open patent search and general workflow. Generic keywords and the relevant IPC classes were identified through screening of initially four different patents related to fungi as material usage. Patent search was carried out by using the European database Espacenet and additional validation by using Google Patents. A total of 10 search queries were carried out and the results were screened for relevant patents
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of the number of patents following different criteria. The information was extracted from the data of the patent search. a The figure shows the countries where the selected patents were granted. In case of multiple publications, the country of earliest granting is mentioned. The pie size for each country corresponds with the total number of patents first applied or granted there. Other = Canada, Italy, Japan with each one patent. b The figure reveals the distribution of patent ownership. The pie size for each patent assignee corresponds with their part in the selected 47 applied or granted patents, Other = see Additional file 1: Table S1. c The figure represents the cumulative development of the number of patent applications and number of granted patents over time. The height of the bars correlates with the cumulative number of applied or granted patents per each year. The bars for patents applied for include all new applications without patents already granted, since an approved patent is by definition no longer an application
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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