Sustainable and smart keratin hydrogel with pH-sensitive swelling and enhanced mechanical properties

PERALTA RAMOS, MARÍA LUZ; GONZÁLEZ, JOAQUÍN ANTONIO; FABIAN, LUCAS; PÉREZ, CLAUDIO JAVIER; VILLANUEVA, MARÍA EMILIA; COPELLO, GUILLERMO JAVIER

MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, BIOMIMETIC MATERIALS, SENSORS AND SYSTEMS

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2017 vol. 78 p. 619 - 626

0928-4931

Protein based hydrogels are a very interesting type of biomaterials with many probed strengths related to their source and chemical structure. Biocompatibility and biodegradability are accompanied by affordability when it comes to low cost sources. The main keratin source is agroindustrial waste, such as feathers, horns, hooves, hair and wool. Thus, the main cost of keratin hydrogels derives from their processing. Here is presented a new strategy for the obtaining of a keratin hydrogel with enhanced mechanical properties using low cost reagents. This keratin hydrogel is stiff enough to allow handling without special cares and also presenting a reversible pH-responsive behavior. The minimum swelling is observed at low pH due to a collapsed and disordered protein network with water tightly adsorbed to the hydrophilic sites. The swelling rises significantly above pH 6 and the maximum swelling appears above pH 8 where an expanded network allows water to enter to the pores.