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Influence of fungal decay and moisture absorption on

mechanical properties of extruded wood-plastic composites

Article in Wood and Fiber Science · October 2005

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 INFLUENCE OF FUNGAL DECAY AND MOISTURE ABSORPTION ON
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF EXTRUDED
WOOD-PLASTIC COMPOSITES
Anke Schirp1
Postdoctoral Research Associate

and

Michael P. Wolcott†
Professor
Wood Materials and Engineering Laboratory
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Washington State University
P.O. Box 641806
Pullman, WA 99164-1806
(Received November 2004)

ABSTRACT
In previous research on the effects of fungal decay on the mechanical properties of wood-plastic
composites (WPC), results were inconclusive due to the influence of moisture absorption. This study was
conducted to clarify the contributions of moisture and wood decay fungi to WPC damage. Changes in
flexural strength (MOR), modulus (MOE), and weight of two extruded wood-polyethylene composite
(WPC) formulations, yellow-poplar sapwood and redwood heartwood, were compared following 3
months of incubation with wood decay fungi. All materials were evaluated using modified agar-block tests
in which the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor and the brown-rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum were
employed as test fungi. In addition, soil-block tests were performed with yellow-poplar, one WPC
formulation, and T. versicolor as test fungus only. It was determined that stiffness of WPC was affected
more severely by moisture absorption than by fungal colonization. Strength of WPC was not affected by
decay fungi but significantly (p ⳱ 0.0001) reduced by moisture absorption for a formulation containing
70% wood filler. Calculation of weight loss in WPC was based on the wood fraction only. Modified
agar-block and soil-block tests were equally suited for determining weight loss in WPC, but agar-block
tests could be completed in a shorter time span. Weight loss of a formulation with 70% wood filler and
incubated with T. versicolor was twice as high as that of redwood in a modified agar-block test (6% versus
3%); however, only 1% weight loss was obtained when the formulation contained 49% wood filler. These
results indicate that WPC can be designed to provide high fungal durability by controlling the material
composition of the formulation. Weight loss is a more sensitive indicator of fungal decay than strength and
stiffness measurements in WPC as well as in redwood.
Keywords: Fungal decay, mechanical properties, moisture absorption, natural fiber thermoplastic com-
posites, redwood, weight loss, wood-plastic composites, yellow-poplar.

INTRODUCTION been gaining rapid market share, primarily as

Wood–plastic composites (WPC) represent a substitute for wood decking (Wolcott and En-
relatively new class of hybrid materials that have glund 1999; Clemons 2002). Evidence for the
presence of fungal decay and discoloration on
WPC decking material in service was first pre-
1
Present address: Institute of Wood Biology and Wood sented by Morris and Cooper (1998). A multi-
Technology, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 4, 37077
Göttingen, Germany. tude of methods are available to test for fungal
† Member of SWST. degradation of wood and plastics; however,

Wood and Fiber Science, 37(4), 2005, pp. 643 – 652

© 2005 by the Society of Wood Science and Technology
644 WOOD AND FIBER SCIENCE, OCTOBER 2005, V. 37(4)

there is no laboratory standard available for Don Endl.) and yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tu-
specifically testing the fungal durability of lipifera L.). In addition, the sensitivity of modi-
WPC. At present, in North America, the soil- fied agar- and soil-block tests in WPC fungal
block test for wood (ASTM D2017-81; 1981) durability testing was compared.
has been adopted for fungal durability tests of
WPC in which weight loss serves as an indicator
of decay. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Published information on the effect of wood
decay fungi on strength properties of WPC has Materials
focused primarily on specimens manufactured
by compression- and injection-molding (Khav- Two WPC-formulations (No. 3 and No. 7),
kine et al. 2000; Silva et al. 2001; Verhey et al. which were previously shown to be either sus-
2001a; Ibach and Clemons 2002; Simonsen et al. ceptible (No. 7) or resistant (No. 3) to fungal
2004), methods not currently used by a majority decay (Pendleton et al. 2002), were used in this
of industrial products. An exception is research study. For each composite formulation, maple
conducted by Clemons and Ibach (2004), who 40-mesh wood flour (American Wood Fibers
determined flexural strength of fungal-treated 4010, Schofield, WI) was used as a filler for a
WPC produced by injection- and compression- high-density polyethylene (HDPE) (Equistar
molding as well as by extrusion. Chemical LB010000, Houston, TX) thermoplas-
tic matrix material. The component weight per-
It is well known that strength properties are
centages of formulation No. 3 were 49% wood
the most sensitive indicators of fungal decay in
filler and 45% HDPE, whereas No. 7 consisted
solid wood (Trendelenburg 1940; Kennedy
of 70% wood filler and 24% HDPE. Process
1958; Wilcox 1978; Hardie 1980), but this con-
additives were maintained at 6% (by weight) in
cept does not necessarily apply to a composite
both formulations and included ethylene bis-
material consisting primarily of a thermoplastic
stearamide wax (General Electric Specialty
polymer matrix and wood filler. Most commer- Chemicals, Parkersburg, WV), zinc stearate
cial forms of wood-plastic composites in North (Chemical Distributors Inc. DLG20, Portland,
America utilize wood flour without the addition OR), phenolic resin (Plenco 12631, Sheboygan,
of coupling agents. In this form, the wood flour WI), and methyl di-isocyanate resin (Bayer
used in WPC does not greatly contribute to the Mondur 541, Pittsburgh, PA). Since it was the
strength of the composite. However, the wood objective of the present study to obtain funda-
filler tends to increase the stiffness of the com- mental information on the material characteris-
posite (Wolcott 2001) and may therefore be use- tics of fungal-degraded WPC, zinc borate (pre-
ful as an indicator of fungal decay in WPC. It is servative) was not included in the formulations.
desirable to compare potential losses in weight Yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) sap-
and stiffness in WPC formulations caused by wood and redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
decay fungi to determine which of the two meth- heartwood specimens were included in the study
ods is more sensitive as an indicator of fungal to serve as references.
decay. The components for each WPC formulation
In summary, the principal objective of this were mixed in a drum blender for 10 min and
investigation was to determine the relative con- added to the feed hopper of a 55-mm counter-
tributions of wood decay fungi and moisture ex- rotating, conical twin-screw extruder (Cincinnati
posure to potential losses in flexural strength Milacron, Batavia, OH). A slit die (15.24 cm by
(modulus of rupture, MOR), stiffness (modulus 1.27 cm) was attached to the extruder, and the
of elasticity, MOE), and weight of extruded extrudate was water-cooled after exiting the die.
WPC. Fungal decay susceptibility of WPC was Extrusion conditions have been described previ-
compared to redwood (Sequoia sempervirens D. ously elsewhere (Pendleton et al. 2002).
 Schirp and Wolcott—FUNGAL DECAY AND MOISTURE ABSORPTION OF WOOD-PLASTIC COMPOSITES 645

Sample preparation, fungal isolates, and cubated at 25°C. When the agar in the bottles
culture conditions was completely covered with fungal mycelium,
Specimens for flexural strength and weight either a WPC or a wood sample was added on
loss tests (nominal dimensions: 9.53-cm length, top of the mycelium in each bottle. No glass rods
1.27-cm width, 0.48-cm thickness) of all mate- or plastic mesh were used to separate the test
rials were machined by conventional techniques. material from the agar, as is commonly done in
When machining WPC specimens, it has to be agar-block tests, to enhance moisture uptake of
considered that part or all of the composite sur- WPC samples. The soil-block test was per-
face layer may be removed, and thus wood en- formed according to ASTM D2017-81 (1981)
capsulation by the plastic may be reduced. Sets with the following two exceptions: larger
of samples and controls were randomly chosen, samples and feeder-strips (made of yellow-
whereas for redwood, side-matching samples poplar) were used for flexural strength tests, and
and controls were prepared. It was anticipated the bottles were placed horizontally during in-
that side-matching of specimens would reduce cubation. Only formulation No. 7 and yellow-
variability of the test results. The largest sample poplar were used in soil-block tests and inocu-
dimension was coincident with the extrusion di- lated with T. versicolor only. In total, 18 bottles
rection (for WPC) or longitudinal axis (for solid were prepared for each fungus/test type (agar-or
wood). After cutting, specimens were condi- soil-block) combination, and 18 bottles each
tioned to constant weight (less than 1% change were prepared as controls without fungal inocu-
during 24 h) at 24°C and 50% relative humidity lum. All bottles were incubated in an environ-
and weighed to the nearest 0.001 g. The two mental chamber maintained at 75% relative hu-
fungal isolates used in this study included a midity and 27°C for 12 weeks.
white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor (L. ex Fr.) Property changes
Pilát (USDA Forest Products Laboratory isolate
No. M697), and a brown-rot fungus, Gloeoph- Following incubation, the specimens were re-
yllum trabeum (Pers. ex. Fr.) Murrill (USDA moved from the bottles, adhering mycelium was
Forest Products Laboratory isolate No. M617) carefully removed from the samples, and speci-
which were maintained on petri dishes contain- mens were weighed. Specimens were recondi-
ing 20 g malt extract and 15 g agar (both from tioned to constant weight (less than 1% change
Becton, Dickinson and Company, Sparks, MD) during 24 h) at 24°C and 50% relative humidity
per one liter of water. and weighed to the nearest 0.001 g. During con-
ditioning, heavy weights were placed on top of
the WPC specimens to prevent twisting, and
Fungal inoculation and incubation of WPC specimens were periodically turned over.
and wood samples Weight loss (WL) of each specimen, expressed
The conditioned and weighed WPC and wood in percent, was determined as the difference in
specimens were wrapped with aluminum foil weight of a specimen after initial conditioning,
and sterilized in an autoclave for 30 min at i.e., prior to inoculation with a fungus, and after
121°C. For agar-block tests, French Square incubation and reconditioning. For WPC, calcu-
bottles (0.24 l) were each filled with 27 ml of lation of weight loss was based on the amount of
liquid medium (20 g/l malt extract, 15 g/l agar) wood filler present (49% or 70%), assuming that
and autoclaved at 121°C for 20 min with the lids the polyethylene matrix and the additives are not
of the bottles slightly opened. After autoclaving, degradable.
the bottles were carefully placed in the horizon- Flexural strength (MOR) and stiffness (MOE)
tal position until the agar solidified. Each bottle of reconditioned WPC and wood samples were
was then inoculated with a plug (1-cm diameter) determined in a four-point bending test utilizing
of either T. versicolor or G. trabeum, taken from quarter-point loading (ASTM D790-84a, 1984,
the edge of an actively growing colony, and in- method II) on a Universal Testing Machine (In-
646 WOOD AND FIBER SCIENCE, OCTOBER 2005, V. 37(4)

stron, model 4466, capacity 10 kN). Load and analyses because non-normality of the data and
support span were 3.868 cm and 8.128 cm, re- non-homogeneous variances required logarith-
spectively, and test speed was 0.241 cm per min. mic transformation of data in some treatment
Deformation of samples was measured using a and material combinations but not others. In
linear variable differential transformer (LVDT, situations when transformation of the data did
Sensotec, Columbus, OH, range: +/−2.54 cm). not result in homogenous variances, Satterth-
The specimen side contacting the fungal my- waite’s approximation was employed to make
celium during incubation was located on the ten- treatment comparisons. When more than two
sion face of the beam. Load and deflection data mean values were compared (i.e., agar-block
were acquired at a collection rate of 5 Hz by test), significant differences between material
computer. Calculation of MOE was based on the mean values or treatment mean values were fol-
values for 20–40% of the maximum load in the lowed by least significant difference tests to
stress-strain curves because this region repre- identify which material or treatment means were
sents the most linear portion in the curves, and different. One-way analysis of variance was also
because different treatment effects were com- used to compare 1) incubated and nonincubated
pared. Following determination of MOR and controls and 2) agar- and soil-block tests.
MOE, all specimens were dried in an oven at
103°C for 12 h and weighed to determine mois- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
ture content (MC) of samples. Moisture content
was calculated using the following equation: Weight changes
Calculation of weight loss in WPC was based
Ww − WD
MC = ⭈ 100 共%兲 on the wood filler only, since at present no con-
WD clusive evidence is contained in the literature
where Ww ⳱ wet weight of specimen (g) and that polyethylene can be degraded by any of the
Wd ⳱ dry weight of specimen (g). two test fungi, especially without prior abiotic
For WPC, MC was calculated on a dry-weight oxidation (Albertsson et al. 1987; Albertsson
basis of the wood content only. and Karlsson 1988; Iioyshi et al. 1998; Hakkara-
Strength and stiffness measurements were inen et al. 2003). In general, biodegradation of
also conducted on nonincubated but conditioned high-molecular weight polyethylene proceeds
WPC specimens (“nonincubated controls”). very slowly but can be enhanced by, e.g., blend-
These tests were done to determine if a 12-week ing (for example, with starch), copolymeriza-
incubation on agar or a feeder-strip per se tion, or grafting (Hakkarainen et al. 2003). Be-
caused significant losses in MOR and MOE and sides wood and plastic, additives in WPC are
to evaluate if water absorption causes more dam- possible food sources for fungi. It is unlikely
age to WPC than fungal decay. For comparison, that the phenolic resin and methyl di-isocyanate
nonincubated controls of yellow-poplar were in our formulations can be used as substrates by
also tested. fungi, in contrast to ethylene bis-stearamide wax
and zinc stearate (Brown 1946; Berk et al.
1957).
Statistical analysis
Trametes versicolor caused significant (p <
One-way analyses of variance (SAS Proc 0.0001) weight loss in yellow-poplar, redwood,
Mixed) were used separately for agar-block test and formulation No. 7 but not in formulation No.
and soil-block test to determine if there were 3 (Table 1, Fig. 1). The weight loss in yellow-
significant differences in weight loss, MOE, and poplar amounted to 56% in a modified agar-
MOR between samples and incubated controls block test and to 62% in a soil-block test. Tra-
within materials and between materials within metes versicolor caused a weight loss of ap-
samples (SAS Institute 1999). One-way analyses proximately 3% in redwood and 6% in No. 7 in
of variance were used rather than two-way modified agar-block tests. This result indicates
 Schirp and Wolcott—FUNGAL DECAY AND MOISTURE ABSORPTION OF WOOD-PLASTIC COMPOSITES 647

TABLE 1. Stiffness (MOE), flexural strength (MOR), and weight loss (based on wood fraction) of two WPC formulations,
yellow-poplar and redwood, following 3 months of incubation with T. versicolor and G. trabeum. Formulation No. 3
consisted of 49% wood, 45% HDPE, and 6% additives; formulation No. 7 contained 70% wood, 24% HDPE, and 6%
additives. Each value represents the average of 16 replicates, except for yellow-poplar in the soil block test (15 replicates).
Figures in bold indicate significant (p < 0.0001) difference between samples and incubated controls.
Density* MOE† MOR Weight loss
(g/cm3) (MPa) (kPa) (%)
Type
Material, treatment of test Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD

#3, T.v. agar 1.05 0.01 1497 212 26274 2344 1.17 1.25
#3 G.t. agar 1.07 0.01 1345 94 28096 1490 −1.41 0.13
#3, incub. control agar 1.07 0.01 1461 194 26920 2926 −1.26 0.09
#3, non-incub. control n.a. 1.09 0.01 1979 130 26862 1101 n.a. n.a.
#7 T.v. agar 0.99 0.02 797 163 11975 2226 6.32 0.47
#7 G.t. agar 0.98 0.01 839 109 10590 2166 0.38 0.74
#7, incub. control agar 1.02 0.01 806 116 11171 1948 −0.46 0.21
#7, non-incub. control n.a. 1.12 0.01 1004 216 14696 1139 n.a. n.a.
YP, T.v. agar 0.21 0.03 2525 479 16355 3500 55.94 5.59
YP, G.t. agar 0.40 0.05 6258 2098 43098 21167 25.21 5.82
YP, incub. control agar 0.48 0.02 9719 787 97598 7374 −1.19 0.70
YP, non-incub. control n.a. 0.61 0.02 15366 623 145183 8190 n.a. n.a.
RW, T.v. agar 0.44 0.03 9380 1661 81643 14405 3.03 0.51
RW, G.t. agar 0.45 0.01 8325 1733 68763 13596 2.76 1.56
RW, incub. control T.v. agar 0.45 0.02 10096 1157 89621 10501 1.29 0.54
RW, incub. control G.t. agar 0.47 0.03 9244 1327 91625 21824 −0.78 0.94
#7 T.v. soil 0.91 0.04 963 164 7203 1915 7.90 2.97
#7, incub. control soil 0.94 0.04 560 180 8092 2434 0.77 0.94
YP, T.v. soil 0.22 0.03 2758 948 13525 4050 61.85 4.32
YP, incub. control soil 0.54 0.04 13479 1518 126235 14101 2.03 0.19
T.v. ⳱ Trametes versicolor
G.t. ⳱ Gloeophyllum trabeum
YP ⳱ yellow-poplar
RW ⳱ redwood
n.a. ⳱ not applicable (equilibrated only).
* determined at time of flexural strength test.
† Calculation based on the values for 20–40% of the maximum load in the stress-strain curves.

that WPC per se are not less susceptible to decay either WPC formulation. It is likely that the
by a white-rot fungus than redwood heartwood, maple filler used in the formulations did not rep-
which is classified as resistant when in ground resent an ideal substrate for G. trabeum, which is
contact (ASTM D2017-81, 1981). However, the usually more aggressive on softwoods than on
fact that T. versicolor caused only 1% weight hardwoods (Schmidt 1994).
loss in formulation No. 3 demonstrates that No statistically significant difference between
WPC can be designed to provide high durability weight losses of No. 7 samples incubated with T.
against fungal decay. It has previously been versicolor in agar- and soil- block tests was de-
demonstrated that lower levels of wood filler in termined. This indicates that both test types are
WPC decrease the growth substrate available for equally sensitive to determine fungal decay in
microorganisms (Mankowski and Morrell 2000; WPC. However, modified agar-block tests are
Verhey et al. 2001b; Pendleton et al. 2002; Si- advantageous because they can be completed in
monsen et al. 2004). a shorter time span than soil-block tests. In agar-
Gloeophyllum trabeum caused 25% weight block tests, fungi do not have to be pre-grown on
loss in yellow-poplar and approximately 3% a feeder-strip which takes significantly longer
weight loss in redwood but no weight losses in than growing cultures on agar.
648 WOOD AND FIBER SCIENCE, OCTOBER 2005, V. 37(4)

ments. The weight gain in some of the controls

(Table 1) is due to the hysteresis effect, a com-
mon source of error in wood decay experiments
(Zabel and Morrell 1992). In the soil-block test
for solid wood (ASTM D2017, 1981), hysteresis
is regarded as a negligible source of error be-
cause this test is primarily used to compare fun-
gal durability of different wood species that are
commonly displaying a broad range of weight
losses. Since weight losses observed in WPC are
generally low (less than 10%), hysteresis may
negatively influence the accuracy of weight loss
FIG. 1. Weight losses (percent of wood fraction) of for- measurements in these composites. In addition,
mulations No. 3 (wood/HDPE/additives ⳱ 49/45/6) and determination of weight loss in WPC may be
No. 7 (wood/HDPE/additives ⳱ 70/24/6), yellow-poplar affected by a lack of complete MC equilibration
and redwood following 3 months of incubation with T. ver- of specimens.
sicolor and G. trabeum in agar- and soil-block tests. Soil-
block tests were performed with No. 7, yellow-poplar and T.
versicolor only.
Moisture absorption

Weight loss of yellow-poplar samples incu- Traditional decay tests use weight loss as a
bated with T. versicolor in a soil-block test was means of assessing fungal decay and do not
significantly (p ⳱ 0.0026) higher than that in an separate the effects of fungal decay and moisture
agar-block test. Therefore, the soil-block test absorption. In an effort to quantify moisture ab-
was more sensitive to detect fungal decay in sorption, incubated controls were used in agar-
yellow-poplar under the conditions of the ex- and soil-block tests. While we recognize that
periments. It has to be considered that in agar- this experimental design does not account for
block tests with wood, specimens are usually not potential morphological changes that may be im-
placed directly onto the agar but separated from parted by decay fungi on the test materials, it
it by using glass rods or a plastic mesh, thus allows us to provide some estimate of moisture
inhibiting excessive moisture uptake. changes occurring during testing.
No weight losses occurred in the incubated Moisture content of incubated controls at dif-
controls; this confirms that sterile conditions ferent stages of the experiment is presented in
were maintained during the course of the experi- Table 2. Moisture content of No. 3 following

TABLE 2. Moisture content of non-inoculated controls for WPC formulations No. 3 (wood/HDPE/additives = 49/45/6) and
No. 7 (wood/HDPE/additives = 70/24/6), yellow-poplar (YP) and redwood (RW). Moisture content is calculated on a
dry-weight basis of the wood content only and is presented following initial equilibration, three months of incubation, and
final equilibration. Values represent the average of 16 replicates for each set (standard deviation in parentheses). Initial
and final moisture equilibration occurred at 24°C and 50% relative humidity.
Moisture content (%)
Material Type of test Initial equilibration Incubation Final equilibration

#3 agar 3 (1.80) 32 (9.93) 9 (1.67)

#7 agar 8 (0.55) 43 (1.96) 9 (0.30)
YP agar 8 (0.49) 101 (29.80) 9 (0.56)
RW (control for T. versicolor) agar 10 (0.67) 154 (11.33) 9 (0.36)
RW (control for G. trabeum) agar 7 (0.86) 144 (10.37) 8 (0.41)
#7 soil 8 (1.20) 59 (4.61) 8 (0.37)
YP soil 10 (0.29) 70 (10.39) 8 (0.31)
 Schirp and Wolcott—FUNGAL DECAY AND MOISTURE ABSORPTION OF WOOD-PLASTIC COMPOSITES 649

initial equilibration was lower than that of No. 7 Flexural strength and stiffness measurements
due to the presence of less hydrophilic wood
filler in No. 3; in addition, it is possible that No. No significant differences in flexural strength
3 had not completely reached its MC equilib- (MOR) of No. 7 and No. 3 samples, inoculated
rium yet. At the end of incubation, MC of all with either T. versicolor or G. trabeum, and their
formulations was 32% or higher. It is apparent respective incubated controls in modified agar-
that the minimal MC level for fungal decay de- block tests were found (Table 1, Fig. 2). There
velopment, 22–24% (Zabel and Morrell 1992), was also no significant difference in MOR be-
was surpassed in the WPC specimens. Follow- tween No. 7 samples incubated with T. versi-
ing final equilibration, No. 3 and No. 7 con- color and incubated controls when a soil-block
verged to the same MC, likely because the ac- test was used (no soil-block tests were con-
cessibility of the wood filler to moisture was ducted with No. 3).
increased in No. 3 as a result of moisture dam- Neither T. versicolor nor G. trabeum caused
age during incubation. Additionally, MC equi- any significant decrease in stiffness (MOE) in
librium of No. 3 may not have been reached No. 3 or No. 7 in agar-block tests. However, in
completely during the reconditioning process. the soil-block test, stiffness of incubated con-
Because of adherent material properties, a di- trols of No. 7 was significantly (p < 0.0001)
rect comparison between wood and WPC re- higher than that of samples inoculated with T.
garding susceptibility to fungal decay is associ- versicolor. It may be possible that this unex-
ated with difficulties. From a microbiological pected increase in WPC stiffness is due to a
point of view, it is necessary to create conditions reinforcing effect of the fungal hyphae present in
in a standard test that ensure optimum fungal the interfacial gaps between wood filler and
growth conditions, including an appropriate MC polymer matrix (Schirp and Wolcott 2005);
level, in the test materials. Our results indicate however, microscopic examination would be re-
that WPC specimens reached MC levels close to quired to further examine the cause of the ob-
or within the optimum range for development of served stiffness increase.
fungal decay (40 to 80%; Scheffer 1973) when a It is important to know if a 12-week incuba-
modified agar-block test was used. In contrast, tion on agar or a feeder-strip per se caused sig-
wood controls reached MC levels in the agar-
block test that were beyond the optimum for
fungal decay development. This problem could
be overcome in future experiments by using dif-
ferent incubation methods for WPC and wood
specimens: the latter could be separated from
agar whereas WPC could be placed directly onto
the agar.
It appears that high fungal durability of WPC
does not simply originate from moisture exclu-
sion. Other factors may confer durability to
WPC, such as the amount and accessibility of
fungal food sources. For example, it is likely that
the plastic matrix provides a physical barrier for FIG. 2. Modulus of rupture (MOR) of formulations No.
penetration of fungal hyphae into the composite. 3 (wood/HDPE/additives ⳱ 49/45/6) and No. 7 (wood/
In addition, the particular form in which wood HDPE/additives ⳱ 70/24/6) following 3 months of incuba-
substrate is present (flour or solid wood) and its tion with T. versicolor and G. trabeum. Star (*) indicates
that No. 7 was not tested with G. trabeum in the soil-block
state (uncompressed as in the case of solid wood test. Differences between incubated and non-incubated con-
and compressed or densified in the case of flour) trols were significant (p ⳱ 0.0001) for No. 7 in agar- and
may influence its susceptibility to fungal decay. soil-block tests.
650 WOOD AND FIBER SCIENCE, OCTOBER 2005, V. 37(4)

nificant losses in MOR and MOE. Stark (2001) soil-block tests (Fig. 2). There was no significant
investigated the effect of water absorption on difference in MOR of incubated and nonincu-
mechanical properties of injection-molded WPC bated controls for No. 3 in the agar-block test.
based on polypropylene. Although the results for For both formulations, MOE of nonincubated
WPC manufactured by injection-molding cannot controls was significantly higher than for incu-
be directly compared to extruded composites, bated controls (p ⳱ 0.0001 for No. 3 in agar-
similar tendencies with regard to the moisture block test and No. 7 in soil-block test; p ⳱
uptake and mechanical performance of the ma- 0.00029 for No. 7 in agar-block test). These re-
terials can be expected. A decrease in flexural sults indicate that stiffness of WPC is affected
strength was determined for a WPC with 40% more severely by moisture absorption than by
wood filler when the material had been soaked fungal attack. WPC strength was affected by wa-
in water or exposed to 90% relative humidity ter absorption only for the formulation with the
(Stark 2001). None of the previously conducted higher wood filler content (No. 7).
research attempted to fully separate the effects Flexural strength and stiffness of yellow-
of moisture absorption and fungal decay in WPC poplar were reduced by 83% and 74% after 3
(Khavkine et al. 2000; Verhey et al. 2001a; Silva months of incubation with T. versicolor in an
2001; Ibach and Clemons 2002), with the excep- agar-block test (Fig. 4, Fig. 5). Strength and
tion of research by Clemons and Ibach (2004). stiffness reductions were 5–6% higher in a soil-
However, Clemons and Ibach (2004) worked block test (Table 1). Gloeophyllum trabeum de-
with preconditioned, i.e., water-soaked or creased flexural strength of yellow-poplar by
boiled, WPC samples, and the total number of 44% and stiffness by 36% during 3 months of
tested replicates in their experiments was not incubation in an agar-block test. The strength
reported. In our experiments, MOR of No. 7 was
significantly (p ⳱ 0.0001) higher for nonincu-
bated than for incubated controls in agar- and

FIG. 3. Modulus of elasticity (MOE) of WPC No. 3

(wood/HDPE/additives ⳱ 49/45/6) and No. 7 (wood/
HDPE/additives ⳱ 70/24/6) following 3 months of incuba-
tion with T. versicolor and G. trabeum. Star (*) indicates
that No. 7 was not tested with G. trabeum in the soil-block
test. Differences between incubated and non-incubated con-
trols were significant for No. 3 (p ⳱ 0.0001) and No. 7 (p
⳱ 0.00029 for agar-block test and p ⳱ 0.0001 for soil-
block test). In addition, for No. 7 in the soil-block test, MOE FIG. 4. Modulus of rupture (MOR) of yellow-poplar and
of samples incubated with T. versicolor was significantly (p redwood following 3 months of incubation with T. versi-
⳱ 0.0001) higher than MOE of incubated controls. color and G. trabeum in agar-block tests.
 Schirp and Wolcott—FUNGAL DECAY AND MOISTURE ABSORPTION OF WOOD-PLASTIC COMPOSITES 651

and stiffness losses of a non-durable wood spe- differences in wood density have to be taken into
cies such as yellow-poplar can be expected after account when comparing results for both types
3 months of incubation. Wilcox (1978) reports of controls. However, the reductions in MOR
that modulus of rupture and modulus of elastic- and MOE due to fungal decay in wood usually
ity in static bending tests can be reduced by outweigh the effects of moisture (see Figs. 4 and
60–70% at weight losses of only 5–10%. Our 5 for yellow-poplar).
results confirm that strength and stiffness mea-
surements are the most sensitive indicators of CONCLUSIONS
fungal decay in a non-durable wood species
(Wilcox 1978; Hardie 1980). In contrast, in the The results of this study indicate that weight
present study, neither of the two test fungi loss is a more sensitive indicator of fungal decay
caused significant reductions in strength and than strength and stiffness measurements in
stiffness of redwood heartwood, despite the oc- WPC and in redwood but not in yellow-poplar.
currence of statistically significant, albeit low, Stiffness of WPC was reduced due to moisture
weight losses. absorption but not following 3 months of incu-
Incubated and nonincubated controls were bation with decay fungi. Wood-plastic compos-
also included in the experiments with yellow- ites per se are not less susceptible to fungal de-
poplar. When comparing these two types of con- cay than redwood, a wood species that is resis-
trols, it is apparent that moisture alone greatly tant to fungal decay when in ground contact
reduces the strength and stiffness of wood (ASTM D2017, 1981); however, WPC can be
(Table 1, Figs. 4 and 5); this effect has long been designed to provide high fungal durability by
known (Kollmann and Côté 1968). In addition, controlling the formulation composition. Further
research is required to characterize the fungal
decay mechanism in WPC and to determine the
susceptibility of different polymer matrices and
additives to decay fungi and other microorgan-
isms. This will eventually lead to the develop-
ment of suitable laboratory test methods for
evaluation of biodeterioration in WPC and to the
production of formulations providing high dura-
bility against microorganisms.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to David Dostal, Robert Duncan,

Bessie Woodward, and Drs. Craig Clemons, Jer-
rold Winandy, and Richard Alldredge, for in-
valuable help and advice. Thanks also to the
USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,
WI for the generous donation of the fungal iso-
lates used in this study.

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