Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Enriched with Diatomaceous Earth as a Sustainable Ecological Composite Material with the Possibility of Machining

In this study, the milling process of eco-friendly polymer composites enriched with an organic filler was analyzed. Polyhydroxyalkanoate was filled with 0.5%, 1%, and 2% of diatomite and produced via injection molding. Then, the milling process was performed on the obtained samples to determine the effect of diatomite content on the machinability of the produced composites. The results showed that the analyzed diatomite content in the machined samples had no significant influence on the cutting process. If the cutting parameters are not properly selected, excessive heat generated during machining can lead to a heterogeneous geometric surface microstructure. The milling process resulted in a series of high-quality surfaces (Ra < 2 μm), chip temperatures below 90 °C, and a feed component of the total cutting force below 11 N.