About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Biological Materials Science
|
| Presentation Title |
Water-Responsive Mechanical Behavior of Jelly Fungi: Towards Bio-Inspired, Self-Healing Materials |
| Author(s) |
Soroosh Salehi, Christopher Bivins, Debora Lyn Porter |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Soroosh Salehi |
| Abstract Scope |
Jelly fungi exhibit water-responsive deformation and recovery, making them potential models for self-healing materials. This study examines the mechanical properties of Naematelia aurantia, Exidia glandulosa, and Phaeotremella frondosa under hydrated and dry conditions. Compression tests showed that E. glandulosa had the highest modulus and strength when hydrated, while nanoindentation illustrated that P. frondosa became stiffest when dry.
SEM imaging confirmed that E. glandulosa has thicker hyphae, which may contribute to its greater compressive resistance and enhanced mechanical strength. EDS analysis showed that P. frondosa contained calcium, likely promoting stiffness via ionic crosslinking. In contrast, N. aurantia had minimal inorganic content and lower dry strength. These results demonstrate that the hydration state, microstructure, and elemental composition all impact the mechanics of jelly fungi. The findings from this work may support the development of future sustainable, water-responsive materials. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Biomaterials, Mechanical Properties, Sustainability |