7. BioFabricating Materials

Research

Our journey into biomaterials began with a visit to MaterFad Barcelona. Hands-on experiments with materials crafted from organic waste offered a tangible understanding of their mechanical properties. Petra's guided tour of the Fabricademy graduates' exhibit provided invaluable insights into the potential applications of these innovative materials. This firsthand experience has equipped me with the tools to embark on my final project.

M Handbags collection by Emma Picanyol

References & Inspiration

I admire Julia Lohmann work, her artistic exploration of natural materials, and her deep connection to nature. The German artist crafts sculptures and objects from organic materials like cowhide, sheep stomachs, and seaweed, resulting in organic forms that could easily transition from art installations to larger-scale architectural elements within urban environments.

Biomaterial Map

Germarilis Ruiz Galloza

Process and workflow

3D printing Biomaterials

Following the workshop, we dived into a hands-on session on 3D printing with biomaterials. I found this particularly helpful as we were introduced to readily available tools and software to hack a plastic 3D printer for biomaterial printing. Preparing the biomaterial mixture was quick and easy. We experimented with two different biomaterial recipes:

Ingredients & Recipes

BioLab Test: GuarGum

Our first print attempt required some calibration adjustments as the speed was too high, and the nozzle-bed distance was off. After tweaking the settings, the second print was much better. I believe we could potentially improve the print quality further by reducing the humidity of the biomass.

Biomaterial paste for 3D printing

Biomaterials

After 3D printing, we shifted our focus to biomaterial creation in the BioLab. We experimented with a wide range of materials, including bioplastics, bioleather, bio threads, biofoam, and a natural resin-based composite.

Ingredients & Recipes

BioLab Test: Gelatine - Semi flex

BioLab Test: Agar Agar - Semi flex

BioLab Test: Colors - Semi flex

Biofabric & Bioplastic

Biofoam & Biofabric

BioLab Test: Sodium Alginate

Using this alginate recipe, we created a sample of bio threads and a bioplastic.

Bioyarn

BioLab Test: Bio Resin

Process: - Heating the resin - Incorporating wax - Gradually pouring in alcohol - Adding organic materials or filler to the melted mixture - Setting the mold aside for 10 minutes

Bioresin

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Mycelium

This week, I had the incredible opportunity to dive into the mycelium-based biomaterials. Growing mycelium was, without a doubt, the highlight of my week.

We started by meticulously sterilizing every tool and material we would be using for our mycelium cultures. After dividing into groups, we followed a precise recipe, carefully combining all the ingredients. Once the mixture was ready, we poured it into molds and placed them in a dark environment to kickstart the growth process.

I found this process to be incredibly structured, and rightly so. The potential for contamination is high if even a single tool or ingredient isn't properly sterilized. Every step, from preparation to molding, demanded precision and attention to detail.

After successfully cultivating mycelium in molds, we took our experiments a step further by growing mycelium on agar plates. This process involved a more rigorous sterilization protocol. We began by autoclaving all our equipment, then thoroughly cleaned our workspace with alcohol. To minimize contamination, we worked near a Bunsen burner, placing the agar plates around it.

Process

• Cut the straws and put them into the plastic bag.
• Pour 2 centimeters of water into the rice cooker pot.
• Place the plastic bag of straws into the rice cooker and select the "carne" (meat) setting.
• It takes 40 minutes for stabilization.
• When the rice cooker is finished, carefully release the steam.
• Wrap the mold.
• Put the steamed straws into the mold.
• Place the samples in complete darkness at a controlled temperature for 6 days.

Ingredients & Recipes

Once the agar mixture was sterilized, we aseptically poured it into the petri dishes. Even though the agar was already sterile, we carefully flamed the bottle's neck before pouring to prevent airborne contaminants from entering. After the agar solidified, we aseptically transferred a piece of mycelium to the center of each plate, sealed them, and placed them in an incubator.

Ingredients & Recipes

Materials & Tools

• Pressure cooker (autoclave)
• Sterile workspace
• Agar agar
• Malt extract syrup or powder
• Petri plates
• Scalpel
• Open flame / Bunsen burner
• Gloves
• Alcohol
• Mushroom Grow bags
• Ziplock bags
• Aquarium heater (optional)
• Plastic wrap
• Parafilm
• Large container

Kombucha Leather

Even though making Kombucha Leather was a breeze, it needed a specific environment to thrive. We had to keep it in a dark, temperature-controlled spot. Plus, we needed to clean and sterilize the molds before use. The speed at which the Kombucha Leather grows will depend on the acidity level of the mix.

Beer & Scoby mix

Measure the pH of the mixture. If it's too high, add a little vinegar; if it's too low, add some baking soda. Use pH strips and the color chart to determine the correct pH level. You want the mixture to have a pH between 3 and 4.5.

Place the mix in a warm, draft-free location. Cover the container with a cloth to insulate it and maintain a consistent temperature.

All materials should be placed within the sterile area, including the perimeter of the Bunsen burner and the alcohol-treated zone to prevent any contamination.

Ingredients & Recipes

Materials & Tools

• PH test
• Scoby
• Beer
• Wine
• Sugar
• Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Gloves
• Alcohol
• Cotton fabric
• Measuring cup
• Large container

Results & Other Biomaterials

Carbon & flowers Agar Agar bioplastic (30x23 cm) - Germarilis Ruiz & Yuki Takemura

Spriulina & Agar Agar - art plaster exploration (30x23 cm) - Germarilis Ruiz

Ingredients & Recipes

Process

• Put water on the pod
• Heat the pod
• Add the gar-agar and melt it.
• Add glyceline into the pod and mix well untill it melts
• Divide in half
• Place half into the tray and sprinkle dried flowers over it
• Heat the other half again and add carbon.
• Then, pour it into the mold and wait for it to cool
• Once they’ve cooled and solidified,let’s try layering the two (the flower and the charcoal)

Rice & cabbage dye exploration - Germarilis Ruiz & Yuki Takemura

Coffee BioYarn - Germarilis Ruiz

Documenting and comparing experiments

I have not been able to compare the materials because they need to be dry to measure the mechanical properties and compare them. The climate has been quite humid, delaying the drying process. Some of the experiments I conducted with alginate have developed mold.

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