Fecha de publicación: -- Fuente: Materials This feasibility study investigated the potential of binding earth-based materials with mycelium to develop structural components for the built environment. MycoClay leverages mycelium’s binding abilities and clay’s structural properties to fabricate a circular, durable component fit to limit moisture absorption and maintain mechanical and dimensional stability. As this combination is largely unexplored, this study takes the initial steps to identify which mycelium-clay pairings best promote growth with local Dutch mycelium species and sea clay. The present research investigated five mycelium strains with three variations of pre-processed clay and examined how each pairing influenced the growth and binding mechanisms. Methods of pre-processing the clay, such as washing and autoclaving was done to understand which variation promotes robust mycelial growth. Samples were grown, mapped, and imaged to provide a baseline for assessing compatibility. The findings elucidated that P. ostreatus and R. oryzae grow and bind efficiently with autoclaved clay, filtering the potential pairings for further development of MycoClay-inspired materials. These insights lay the foundation for future work toward sustainable biostabilized earth construction materials.