Comparison
Mycelium Composite vs PLA
A side-by-side comparison of Mycelium Composite Material, Structural Grade V and Polylactic Acid.
Physical
Density
0.1 - 0.5 g/cm³
1.24 g/cm³
Water Absorption (24h)
2.0-5.0 %
0.5 %
Transparency
Opaque
Semi-transparent
Shrinkage
Varies with growth process
0.3 – 0.5 %
Mechanical
Young's Modulus
Highly variable (depends on density and substrate)
3.5 GPa
Tensile Strength
Highly variable
50 – 65 MPa
Elongation at Break
Highly variable
6 %
Impact Strength (Izod)
Highly variable
16 J/m
Flexural Strength
—
80 MPa
Thermal
Glass Transition Temperature
Not applicable (natural material)
60 °C
Melting Point
None (decomposes)
150 – 160 °C
Continuous Service Temperature
60 °C
45 °C
Heat Deflection Temperature
Not applicable
55 °C
Electrical
Dielectric Constant
Variable
3.0
Volume Resistivity
Variable
10¹⁴ Ω·cm
Dielectric Strength
Low to moderate
—
Chemical resistance
Acids
Sensitive
Fair
Bases
Sensitive
Poor
Solvents
Resistant to most common solvents but can be degraded by strong acids/bases
—
UV Resistance
Poor
Poor
Alcohols
—
Fair
Hydrolysis
—
Poor
Sustainability
Recyclability
Biodegradable (compost)
Industrially compostable
Recycling Code
7 (Other)
7
Carbon Footprint
Negative to very low (utilizes waste streams, sequesters carbon)
~1.6 kg CO₂e / kg
Bio-based Content
—
100 %