Effect of filler load and high-energy ball milling process on properties of plasticized wheat gluten/olive pomace biocomposite

Abstract

The increase of particles surface area can optimize the dispersion state of biocomposite components and enhance their properties. First in this paper, we aimed to elaborate a novel biocomposite without any treatments. Plasticized wheat gluten (WG), was filled with 0–20% of olive pomace (OP) powder. The second objective was the improvement of biocomposite properties using physical treatment. High-energy ball milling process was applied on the blend of wheat gluten and olive pomace powders (MPs). The grinding effect of particle shape, size and distribution in biocomposite was characterised by particle size distribution using a laser-light diffraction and by SEM analysis. The cryo-fractured surface of selected films, mechanical properties, moisture absorption and thermal properties of both biocomposites were described in details. It was found that the sensitivity of biocomposites to moisture absorption was reduced with the increase of filler content after the applying of high-energy ball milling process. The thermal stability of OP biocomposite decreased with the increase of loading, while that of MPs was unaffected by high-energy ball milling process. This process affects the physical and morphological characteristics of the powders. The mechanical properties were improved by grinding process at filler content lower than15%.