MycoSeal Composite: Prototype Development of a Water-Resistant Bio-Based Composite Board Using Mycelium, Red-Algae Agar, and a Natural Wax Barrier
Seho Jang
Busan Foreign School, Busan, Republic of Korea
Publication date: July 10, 2026
Busan Foreign School, Busan, Republic of Korea
Publication date: July 10, 2026
DOI: http://doi.org/10.34614/JIYRC2026I14
ABSTRACT
Moisture is one of the major factors that reduces insulation performance and limits the practical use of many sustainable building materials. This study developed MycoSeal Insulator, a prototype water-resistant bio-based insulation board composed of a mycelium composite core, a red-algae agar binder, and a natural wax barrier layer. The objective was to evaluate whether these components could be integrated into a coherent layered prototype using a simple fabrication process. Mycelium was activated with cold water, combined with an agar-based binder, molded into board-like samples, dried, and then coated with either 100% beeswax or a beeswax–canola oil blend. The results showed that cohesive prototype samples could be successfully fabricated through the proposed mix–mold–dry process. In addition, the beeswax–canola oil blend showed better melting, spreading, and coating workability than pure beeswax, while wax-coated samples demonstrated improved short-term water resistance compared with uncoated samples. These findings support the feasibility of MycoSeal as a sustainable moisture-resistant insulation concept. The findings suggest that MycoSeal is a promising moisture-resistant bio-based composite board concept with potential relevance to future insulation applications, although direct thermal conductivity testing is required before it can be classified or evaluated as a functional insulation material.
Moisture is one of the major factors that reduces insulation performance and limits the practical use of many sustainable building materials. This study developed MycoSeal Insulator, a prototype water-resistant bio-based insulation board composed of a mycelium composite core, a red-algae agar binder, and a natural wax barrier layer. The objective was to evaluate whether these components could be integrated into a coherent layered prototype using a simple fabrication process. Mycelium was activated with cold water, combined with an agar-based binder, molded into board-like samples, dried, and then coated with either 100% beeswax or a beeswax–canola oil blend. The results showed that cohesive prototype samples could be successfully fabricated through the proposed mix–mold–dry process. In addition, the beeswax–canola oil blend showed better melting, spreading, and coating workability than pure beeswax, while wax-coated samples demonstrated improved short-term water resistance compared with uncoated samples. These findings support the feasibility of MycoSeal as a sustainable moisture-resistant insulation concept. The findings suggest that MycoSeal is a promising moisture-resistant bio-based composite board concept with potential relevance to future insulation applications, although direct thermal conductivity testing is required before it can be classified or evaluated as a functional insulation material.
