Production of biodegradable materials from lignocellulosic materials inculated with different white root fungus and determination of their technological properties

In this study, the technological properties of environmentally friendly and biodegradable materials (insulation material, packaging material and wood natural plastic composites) were determined by using lignocellulosic materials incubated with different white rot fungi. Ganoderma lucidum (GL) and Pleurotus ostreatus (PO) fungi were used. Wheat straw, scotch pine chips, poplar chips were inoculated with fungi and exposed to 10, 20 and 30 days of incubation, and the changes in the chemistry of lignocellulosic materials were determined. Chemical analyzes (amount of extractive substance, holocellulose ratio, lignin ratio, α-cellulose ratio and 1% NaOH solubility), analytical (FTIR) morphological (light microscopy) properties of lignocellulosic material samples exposed to fungal treatment were investigated. Within the scope of this thesis, mycelium-based wood natural plastic composites were produced for the first time in our country and in the world. The physical, mechanical and some technological properties of the produced mycelium-based insulation boards, wood natural plastic composites, mycelium-based packaging materials and mycelium-based fiberboards were determined. Mycelium-based insulation and packaging materials had high water absorption rates, but low thickness increase rates. It was determined that the sound absorption coefficient ratios of mycelium-based insulation boards produced using PO fungus were higher than those produced with GL fungus. It was determined that the acoustic absorption rates of the insulation boards produced using PO fungus varied between 87% and 99% at 1000 Hz depending on the incubation periods. The lowest thermal conductivity coefficient of the mycelium-based insulation boards was determined in the insulation board produced at the end of the 20-day incubation period with the PO fungus. It was determined that the mechanical properties of wood natural plastic composites produced in this project were lower than wood plastic composites.