On the interest of using degradable fillers in co-ground composite materials

The article presents the results of a study whose objective is to show the interest of using vegetable and biodegradable fillers in composite materials. The incorporation of fillers made up of starch in the synthetic polymeric matrix was carried out by co-grinding, a process supporting the dispersion of one component in another one and thus supporting the homogeneity of the composite properties. The follow-up of the particle size and morphology has permitted to identify how the composite is formed. We could note that co-grinding makes it possible to improve the mechanical properties of the composite material, not only through a better dispersion of the filler in the matrix, but also thanks to a modification of the interface properties. Finally a study on the material degradation in water has shown that the incorporation of a vegetable, degradable and cheap filler in the synthetic matrix and the application of co-grinding during an adapted time offer interesting water-resistant properties.