9. Textile Scaffold¶

Mycelium¶

Process¶

We receive at the lab a 8 kg kit by grown.bio for molding mycelium.

ingredientstoolsrecipe

* Sculpting mix of the molding mycelium kit
* GIY material of the molding mycelium kit

* a precision balance
* a neddle disinfected
* a scissor disinfected

* Clean working surface, tools growing form, hands and the exterior of the bag with ethanol
* Open bag(cutting tool and bag should be cleaned with ethanol
* Add 30g of flour for each KG of GIY material
* Mix everything properly
* Fill growth form
* Cover with lid/foil (pinch tiny holes every 3 cm)
* Grow till fully white (approx, 3-5 days at 21-24°C)
* Remove from growth form
* Optional to create soft skin: grow in closed environment for 2 day
* Bake off at 70°C for 2-3 hours

Mixing of the 2 components of the grown.bio kit. Moulding from this compressed mixture.

I modelled a mycelium hand using a disposable glove. Being stretchy, the glove does not allow a faithful realization of a hand since the back of a hand is rather flat and not bumpy. Once the amount of mycelium was satisfactory, I tied the glove, then forced it to have the fingers folded. I then had to make multiple holes in the glove. I also made a kind of U shape trapped in cling film.

Hand in mycelium after several days at room temperature in the glove. The mycelium is white on the palm - a sign of good health - and dark on the back of the hand and fingers. The mycelium has dried in these areas.

Cristallization¶

References & Inspiration¶

Principle¶

Definitions:

Solubility is the maximum amount of solute that can dissolve in a given amount of solvent at a given temperature.
A saturated solution is one that contains the maximum amount of solute dissolved in a solvent at a given temperature.

The solubility of most solids increases as the temperature increases. This is the case for solutions containing potassium alum and Borax. They become supersaturated as the temperature drops.

Principle: The growth of the crystals takes place from a supersaturated solution of salt.

Note

Slow cooling of the supersaturated solution produces large crystals
Potassium alum has the particularity of forming pyramidal or octahedral crystals.

Ingredients & Recipes¶

ingredientstoolsrecipe

* 1L Distilled water
* 250g Potassium alun

* a cyanoacrylate glue 
*

* Dissolve potassium alum in distilled water at 80°C
* Filter the supersaturated solution into a clean, smooth container to ensure that no undissolved salt remains
* Allow to cool for at least half a day or even a day
* Collect an alum crystal 
* Attach or glue it to the structure you want to crystallize.  If you choose a sewing thread, the crystallization will take place on the whole thread. If you choose a smooth thread, only the seed crystal will grow
* The crystallization will start from this seed crystal
* Reuse the crystallization solution by heating it again 
* Soak the crystal in the supersaturated solution cooled to room temperature 
* Cover the container with a paper towel
* Leave the container in a place where it will not be disturbed by vibrations

Workflow¶

3D Model¶

Choice of facial expression - MakeHuman software¶

I used the MakeHuman software to obtain a human 3D model. I have chosen a fear expression written on his face. I save the model as an mhx2 file to come back to it later and as an STL file to work on it in the Rhinoceros software.

Cutting of the model - Rhinoceros software¶

I choose to keep the face of my model, so I use the software Rhinoceros to cut the model from the back of the head.

Steps to cut my model with Rhino7:

Open the created makehuman STL file on Rhinoceros.
Measure the size of the model with the scale command

I want a human size model so I modify the scale of my model. - Change the model scale with the scale command and a factor of 100. - Turn the model vertical with the Gumball tool - Draw a line parallel to the section to be sliced - Use the MeshTrim command to cut an mesh object

Use the cap command
Save as a Rhino 3D model and export as an STL file.

Final 3D modelled body:

Scaffold

Printing the crystallization scaffold - Ultimaker 3D software¶

Rigid white PLA was chosen to print this model with the zmorph printer (printing temperature: 200°C, printing speed: 60 mm/s).

The 3D printing of this model requires the use of support. You must therefore check this box in Cura.

After the scaffold has been removed from the printing area, the scaffold supports must be carefully removed. The result is perfect.

Cristallization on the scaffold¶

The idea of the project is to represent the petrification of a man by the mythological character of Medusa. The petrification would begin where his tears would have flowed.

Borax cristallization¶

I did not like the result after crystallization with Borax. I scraped it all off and started again with alum.

Potassium alum cristallization¶

Step 1: Seed growth in a green saturated solution slowly cooled.

Method: Dissolve alum in hot water at 80°C. In the warm solution, add yellow and blue food colouring to the solution to obtain green. wrapped it with aluminium paper. Collect the crystals.

Results: To obtain a green colour, yellow and blue dye is used. The solution obtained is green. However, the crystals obtained are yellow. The colour is not very intense. Food colouring is not the right solution for colouring aluminium crystals.

Step 2: Seed application on the scafold

Method: Apply the crystal seed with cyanoacrylate glue to initiate crystallisation on the scaffold.

Results: Despite the unexpected change in colour, I kept the same location of application of the crystal seeds. I wanted intense green tears that would initiate the total petrification of the individual. This faint yellow and this location rather illustrates a conjunctivitis.

Step 3: First cristallization bath

Method: Prepare a supersaturated Potassium alun solution. After glue drying, immersing the scafold during several hours, face towards the bottom of the container. Tape the back of the head to the container to keep the head submerged.

Result: the germs have well started to crystallize around the eyes and mouth.

Step 4: Blue crystal seed application on the scafold

Method: Seed growth in a blue saturated solution slowly cooled. Apply blue crystal seed with cyanoacrylate glue.

Result: I wanted colour effects. I made a poor blue demarcation all along the face. I'm not satisfied with the colour result.

Step 5: Second cristallization bath

Method: Prepare a supersaturated Potassium alun solution. After glue drying, immersing the scafold during several hours, face towards the bottom of the container. Tape the back of the head to the container to keep the head submerged.

Result: After two baths, the whole face is crystallized with different sizes of crystals. After successive baths, the colour of the crystals has faded. I really like the crystallisation effect but the colour effect is disastrous. Maybe I should try to paint the scaffold in a non-uniform way and that would give a more interesting colour effect.

To explore¶

Conductive crystals recipe

Conductive crystal examples used as capacative touch sensors for different applications

Last update: 2023-04-05