Growth and Fungal Resin Generation for Manufacturing Novel, Formaldehyde-Free Wood Particleboard

Engineered wood represents a $8.SB market in the United States annually. Resins instituted in the production of traditional engineered wood products (formaldehyde) have recently come under substantial scrutiny due to detrimental human heath effects. Ecovative is developing a drop-in replacement for engineered wood resins that is economically competitive and intrinsically safe. The mResin TM system is an entirely biobased adhesive that is literally grown on the wood precursors and meets all new legislative requirements. This resin system is inherently cost and energy efficient (67% reduction in MJ/ft3), and has been demonstrated within strategic partners' mills as capable of leveraging existing manufacturing equipment used in panel production. Early sales of an agriculturally based panel, MycoBoard™, have demonstrated commercial traction, but the transition to wood is required to meet the economic targets of the broader market. The proposed work seeks to mitigate risks associated with taking this technology to scaled operation and mill adoption. The Phase I activities are critical to first validate mResin™ can meet the industry's performance requirements (ANSI M2) on wood furnish, and second to determine if an aerated solid state fermentation system (composting) is an economically viable method to pursue for scale._x000D_