Vigilancia Tecnológica

A novel binding agent may be produced using a powder made by grinding a substance known as a spent mushroom substrate. Such a substance is a waste product of agricultural processes, and yet it contains a high quantity of mycelium, which in turn includes chitin, a natural polymer, that may be used as a key ingredient of the binding agent. Ganoderma lucidum fungi may be a preferred SMS because of its rich chitin content. The novel article, such as a mixed-density particle board, made from bio- composite materials, may be produced by a hot-pressing process using a mixture of the binding agent and a plurality of particles of at least a first natural substance, such as Coco coir to form the article.