Properties of Chitosan Monofilament from Mushroom Mycelium

Synthetic and natural fibers pose a significant threat to the environment due to their production, usage, and disposal, releasing high levels of toxic substances and microplastics that have detrimental effects on ecosystems.Research is being actively conducted on mushroom-based materials as substitutes for many industrial materials, as they are cost-effective, have simple production processes, and possess eco-friendly properties.However, studies on mushroom fibers are limited.In this study, the mycelium of Ganoderma lucidum, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Schizophyllum commune were utilized to create environmentally sustainable mushroom fibers.Chitosan was extracted from each mushroom mycelium and subsequently formed into monofilament through wet spinning.The characteristic of this chitosan was confirmed through FT-IR and XRD analyses.Comparison with commercial chitosan showed that mushroom mycelium chitosan displayed greater deacetylation (82.8-84.8%),lower molecular weight (21.3-48.3kDa), and crystallinity.It was confirmed that the surface and tensile strength of the monofilament improved with the addition of mushroom mycelium chitosan.