The kraft pulp and papermaking properties of Phanerochaete chrysosporium degraded red oak (Quercus rubra) were investigated. Phanerochaete chrysosporium was grown on rye media, and the rye spawn was used to establish mycelia growth on glucose-supplemented red oak wood chips for 0-, 10-, 20- and 30 days, respectively. Kraft pulps were produced from biodegraded and nondegraded red oak wood chips and evaluated for pulp yield, pulp refinability, and handsheet properties.Results showed that as time (0, 10, 20, and 30 days) of vegetative mycelial growth on wood chips increased, significant changes in pulp yield, kappa number, water retention value, and handsheet properties occurred. At a given pulp kappa number, higher kraft pulp yields were obtained from wood chips fungally degraded for 30 days (3-5% yield advantage) compared to pulps obtained from non-degraded red oak wood chips. Data indicated that pulps prepared from P. chrysosporium degraded red oak wood chips were more hydrophylic, responded faster to beating, and at comparable freeness levels had higher tensile, burst, and fold properties than pulps prepared from nondegraded wood. Sheet opacity was not affected by fungal degradation. Handsheets made from fungally degraded wood, however, showed marked reductions in brightness as fungal incubation time increased
