Citation
Ahmad Farrahnoor, . and Arif Danial Noor Hishamuddini, . and Hamid Yusof, . and Koay, Mei Hyie and Normariah Che Maideen, . and Nor Azirah Mohd Fohimi, . and Boey, Tze Zhou (2025) Influence of drying temperature in the oven on physical, morphology and mechanical properties of mycelium composite. Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology (Malaysia), 33 (1). pp. 219-240. ISSN 2231-8526
Abstract
Mycelium, a root-like fungi network, possesses distinctive characteristics that render it an appealing contender for replacing polystyrene (PS). Drying in the oven is one of the most commonly used methods for producing mycelium composites. However, achieving its desired properties requires proper control of the drying temperature. This research aims to develop a mycelium-based composite by utilising an edible mushroom, specifically Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom), as an alternative to non-biodegradable materials for packaging applications. The composite is developed by inoculating Pleurotus ostreatus fungi into the substrate, mainly consisting of kenaf, wheat bran and CaCO3. Afterwards, the composite was incubated for 20 days and then subjected to drying at different oven temperatures (e.g. 40°C, 60°C, and 80°C) for 24 hours. Our findings indicate that the desirable mechanical properties of mycelium composite were found at 60°C, where flexural strength, flexural modulus and impact strength were obtained at 0.11 MPa, 4.15 GPa and 635.8 N, respectively. The moisture content was 26.13%, and the shrinkage was 20.73%. The obtained density of 0.15 g/cm³ was compared to the density of PS, which is 1.04 g/cm3. This research indicates that a lightweight composite material, consisting of a network of interconnected hyphae that function as a natural adhesive, holds significant potential as a viable solution for achieving a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future, primarily due to its biodegradability.
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Abstract
Mycelium, a root-like fungi network, possesses distinctive characteristics that render it an appealing contender for replacing polystyrene (PS). Drying in the oven is one of the most commonly used methods for producing mycelium composites. However, achieving its desired properties requires proper control of the drying temperature. This research aims to develop a mycelium-based composite by utilising an edible mushroom, specifically Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom), as an alternative to non-biodegradable materials for packaging applications. The composite is developed by inoculating Pleurotus ostreatus fungi into the substrate, mainly consisting of kenaf, wheat bran and CaCO3. Afterwards, the composite was incubated for 20 days and then subjected to drying at different oven temperatures (e.g. 40°C, 60°C, and 80°C) for 24 hours. Our findings indicate that the desirable mechanical properties of mycelium composite were found at 60°C, where flexural strength, flexural modulus and impact strength were obtained at 0.11 MPa, 4.15 GPa and 635.8 N, respectively. The moisture content was 26.13%, and the shrinkage was 20.73%. The obtained density of 0.15 g/cm³ was compared to the density of PS, which is 1.04 g/cm3. This research indicates that a lightweight composite material, consisting of a network of interconnected hyphae that function as a natural adhesive, holds significant potential as a viable solution for achieving a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future, primarily due to its biodegradability.
Additional Metadata
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| AGROVOC Term: | mycelium |
| AGROVOC Term: | biocomposites |
| AGROVOC Term: | packaging materials |
| AGROVOC Term: | kenaf |
| AGROVOC Term: | wheat bran |
| AGROVOC Term: | Hyphaene |
| AGROVOC Term: | polystyrene |
| AGROVOC Term: | drying |
| AGROVOC Term: | biodegradability |
| AGROVOC Term: | sustainability |
| Geographical Term: | Malaysia |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Drying temperature, fungi, mechanical property, mycelium, Pleurotus ostreatus |
| Depositing User: | Ms. Azariah Hashim |
| Date Deposited: | 17 Aug 2026 03:55 |
| Last Modified: | 17 Aug 2026 03:55 |
| URI: | http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/4352 |
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