As aviation accounts for 13.4% of the transport sector's emissions and 3.6% of all human greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the need for a sustainable bio-based industry arises. Meeting the growing demand for air travel requires a shift towards more sustainable alternatives, particularly in reducing fuel demand and emissions. Innovations such as weight reduction through bio-sourced materials, notably mycelium-based composites (MBCs), are promising. MBCs are known for their biodegradability, low energy consumption, and versatile applications, including packaging, furniture, fashion, and building materials, but also thermally and acoustically insultating properties that enable their use in the aerospace industry. This thesis focuses on adopting MBCs for non-structural purposes in aircraft cabin interiors. Despite their technological potential, early-stage development and limited data constrain the assessment of MBCs' environmental effects. The project aims to what are the future environmental impacts of producing MBCs at industrial production levels for aircraft interior applications, and how do they compare to conventional alternative materials.
To address this question, the project employed a Prospective Life Cycle Assessment (pLCA), offering a systematic assessment of the environmental impacts despite incomplete information. This study is conducted through two LCA phases designed to comprehensively evaluate the environmental impact of integrating MBCs. The first phase, "intratechnology comparison" focused on understanding the environmental implications of scaling up MBCs production from the laboratory to an industrial level. This phase also assessed the environmental impact of the MBCs material itself. The second phase, "intertechnology comparison" evaluated the environmental impact of an aircraft interior partition composed of MBCs and Scalmalloy compared to a conventional Nomex core sandwich partition. This comparative approach provided insights into the potential environmental benefits of using MBCs in aviation.
The process was divided in: (1) analyzing the current production of MBCs at the laboratory scale to establish the basis for modeling the emerging technology, (2) scaling up the technology to industrial production scenarios, (3) performing a pLCA to comprehensively assess the environmental impact of MBCs, considering uncertainties inherent in the early-stage development of this technology.
Key findings from this study highlight the potential of MBCs. The upscaled production of MBCs is expected to have lower emissions than lab-scale production. Current manufacture remains energy-intensive. In their direct application as non-structural components in aircraft cabin interiors, MBCs showcase advantages over conventional materials due to their lightweight nature, which benefits the use phase. However, the upscaled manufacturing process does not necessarily surpass those of conventional materials, such as the Nomex core sandwich partition, indicating hotspots that need to be addressed.
Additional scenario assessments, recyclability and energy carriers for use phase and manufacturing, were considered. The recyclability of MBCs may offer additional environmental benefits, but careful energy management is crucial to maximize these advantages. The energy carriers for the production significantly impact the environmental impact. Additionally, the lightweight nature of MBCs remains an advantage even with the transition to more decarbonized fuels.
The findings emphasize the importance of using LCA from the early design phase and iteratively as technology develops to achieve optimal results. The pLCA of MBCs offers valuable insights into their environmental impact and guides research and development efforts, helping to make informed decisions about their use in aircraft cabin interiors and further applications.