Decay resistance of a commercial pistachio twig-plastic composite
IRG/WP 11-40553
M R M Farahani, M Safarzadeh
In this research, the decay resistance of commercial extruded pistachio twig flour-plastic composite was investigated against the white-rot fungi Trametes versicolor and the brown-rot fungus Coniophora puteana. The composite specimens containing 60% pistachio twig flour were exposed to a decay test according to modified ASTM standard for 3 months. The results showed that the composite could be decayed by the fungi. The weight loss of the composite due to decay by C.puteana was noticeably higher than that for T.versicolor. By employing scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies, cracks and voids in the control (unexposed samples), and hyphae penetration in the sample decayed by C.puteana were shown.