Contact Dr Wenjing Sun
- Email: Wenjing.Sun@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
Areas of expertise
- Biomass and Waste
- Composites
- Manufacturing of Functional Materials
- Smart Materials
- Low Carbon Technology
Background
I work at the interface of materials science, biology, and chemistry, with a particular focus on utilizing natural materials to design functional, bio-based systems for a more sustainable future. My research centres on forestry-derived and fungal-derived materials, including lignocellulosic biomass, fungal mycelium, and agro-industrial waste streams, such as those from food processing. I also work with materials extracted or refined from these sources, such as cellulose from wood and polysaccharides and proteins from fungi.
I have conducted research in China, the United States, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the UK, which has given me a broad and international perspective on sustainable materials science. I have also been awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship in support of interdisciplinary research connecting biology, materials science, and engineering.
By integrating fundamental insights into structure and chemistry with innovative materials engineering, I explore how these materials can be transformed into high-performance systems with tailored properties such as adhesion, gelation, elasticity, water interaction, and mechanical strength. This understanding supports the development of sustainable materials such as adhesives, coatings, foams, panels, and films, with potential applications in packaging, construction, agriculture, food, and beyond.
My work aims not only to advance our understanding of how biological systems behave as materials but also to provide practical, scalable alternatives to synthetic components by replacing them with renewable, degradable, and high-functioning solutions.
Research opportunities
My research explores how naturally derived materials, particularly those from fungi, forestry resources, and agricultural residues, can be transformed into sustainable and functional systems. I am especially interested in the relationships between material structure, processing methods, and resulting performance. By combining fundamental understanding with engineering approaches, I aim to develop high-performing, sustainable alternatives to conventional materials.
- Fungal biomaterials: Designing and processing fungal mycelium and its derivatives into functional materials with a range of physical forms and structures, including flexible, porous, and load-bearing systems tailored to specific applications.
- Lignocellulosic-based materials: Developing renewable material systems by utilizing and modifying wood, cellulose, and other plant-based resources in various forms.
- Agro-industrial waste valorisation: Transforming by-products from food processing and agricultural activities into valuable materials for sustainable production systems.
- Biological integration and hybrid systems: Creating materials that incorporate microbial functions, structural biopolymers, or responsive components for use in environmental, agricultural, or functional design applications.
- Application-oriented development: Advancing material systems for use in sectors such as packaging, construction, agriculture, ecological restoration, and food, with a focus on functionality, biodegradability, and scalability.
Current activities
I am currently establishing my independent research area in Fungal Biomaterials at the Magan Centre of Applied Mycology at Cranfield University, developing a multidisciplinary program focused on the understanding, design, and development of fungal-based and natural-material systems for sustainable applications.
My ongoing work spans fundamental material science and application-oriented development, with interests ranging from natural adhesives and coatings to foams, films, and responsive structures. I am particularly interested in how material properties can be tuned through both biological and engineering approaches to meet the needs of diverse applications.
I am always open to collaboration and actively seek to connect with researchers, designers, and industry partners working in sustainability, bio-based innovation, and material development. Whether through joint research, applied projects, or early-stage exploration, I welcome opportunities to work across disciplines and sectors to advance the use of fungal and natural materials in real-world solutions.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Sun W, Strässle Zúñiga SH, Philippe V, Rinaldi L & Abitbol T. (2025). Mycelium-Bound composites from agro-industrial waste for broadband acoustic absorption. Materials & Design, 250
- Cheng Y, Long C, Zhang M, Wang W & Sun W. (2025). Investigation of mycelium film as the adhesive for poplar veneer bonding: insight into interfacial bonding mechanisms. Wood Material Science & Engineering, 20(1)
- Hajam ME, Sun W, Hafez I, Howell C & Tajvidi M. (2025). In situ growth of mycelium in a lignocellulosic scaffold enabled by cellulose nanofibrils for lightweight insulation. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 199
- Sun W, Hafez I, Cole BJW & Tajvidi M. (2024). A closer examination of white-rot fungal mycelia assisted wood bonding. RSC Applied Interfaces, 1(5)
- Sun W. (2024). Fungal mycelia: From innovative materials to promising products: Insights and challenges. Biointerphases, 19(1)
- El Hajam M, Sun W, Hossain R, Hafez I, Howell C, .... (2024). Surfactant-assisted foam-forming of high performance ultra-low density structures made from lignocellulosic materials and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). Industrial Crops and Products, 221
- Hernando AV, Sun W & Abitbol T. (2024). “You Are What You Eat”: How Fungal Adaptation Can Be Leveraged toward Myco‐Material Properties. Global Challenges, 8(3)
- Chen C, Sun W, Wang J & Gardner DJ. (2023). Tunable biocomposite films fabricated using cellulose nanocrystals and additives for food packaging. Carbohydrate Polymers, 321
- Sun W, Tajvidi M, Howell C & Hunt CG. (2022). Insight into mycelium-lignocellulosic bio-composites: Essential factors and properties. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 161
- Chen C, Sun W, Wang L, Tajvidi M, Wang J, .... (2022). Transparent Multifunctional Cellulose Nanocrystal Films Prepared Using Trivalent Metal Ion Exchange for Food Packaging. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 10(29)
- Sun W, Tajvidi M, Hunt CG, Cole BJW, Howell C, .... (2022). Fungal and enzymatic pretreatments in hot-pressed lignocellulosic bio-composites: A critical review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 353
- Sun W, Tajvidi M, Hunt CG & Howell C. (2021). All-Natural Smart Mycelium Surface with Tunable Wettability. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 4(1)
- Sun W, Tajvidi M, Howell C & Hunt CG. (2020). Functionality of Surface Mycelium Interfaces in Wood Bonding. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 12(51)
- Sun W, Tajvidi M, Hunt CG, McIntyre G & Gardner DJ. (2019). Fully Bio-Based Hybrid Composites Made of Wood, Fungal Mycelium and Cellulose Nanofibrils. Scientific Reports, 9(1)
- Luo S, Cao J & Sun W. (2017). Evaluation of
K raft lignin as natural compatibilizer in wood flour/polypropylene composites. Polymer Composites, 38(11) - Shen H, Cao J, Sun W & Peng Y. (2016). Influence of Post-extraction on Photostability of Thermally Modified Scots Pine Wood during Artificial Weathering. BioResources, 11(2)
- Sun W, Shen H & Cao J. (2016). Modification of wood by glutaraldehyde and poly (vinyl alcohol). Materials & Design, 96
- Liu R, Sun W, Cao J & Wang J. (2016). Surface properties of in situ organo-montmorillonite modified wood flour and the influence on mechanical properties of composites with polypropylene. Applied Surface Science, 361
- Wang W, Zhu Y, Cao J & Sun W. (2015). Correlation between dynamic wetting behavior and chemical components of thermally modified wood. Applied Surface Science, 324
- Wang MZ, Bi Y, Sun WJ, Ji HP & Li L. (2012). Synergistic Effect of Zeolite on Bonding Strength of Flame Retardant Plywood. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 193-194