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Ionic-liquid-processed keratin-based biocomposite films with cellulose and chitin for sustainable dye removal

RSC Sustainability, ISSN: 2753-8125, Vol: 2, Issue: 8, Page: 2239-2248
2024
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Article Description

Poultry is a widely consumed meat worldwide; however, its industrial processing generates a significant amount of feather waste. Since the major component of chicken feathers is keratin (90 wt%), this study focused on using acetate-based ionic liquids (ILs) to fully dissolve chicken feathers and recover keratin, using a sustainable and cost-effective approach, ultimately allowing waste valorisation. The recovered keratin was processed into films, either pure or blended with cellulose and α-chitin, aiming to develop a structural polymer biocomposite with improved mechanical properties. Experimental parameters were evaluated using different blend ratios, altering the pH, and adding glycerol as a plasticiser. Physico-chemical analysis revealed that all films exhibited hydrophilic behaviour and are stable up to 160 °C. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the keratin-based films significantly increased by adding chitin (achieving up to 66 MPa). Considering the growing significance of biopolymer-based films in wastewater treatment applications, the keratin-based films were evaluated as adsorbents for dye removal. Reactive Blue 4 (RB4) was used as a model dye, and the adsorption kinetics and isotherms were investigated. Between the studied films, the maximum adsorption capacity (55.7 mg g) was obtained for the keratin film, emphasising the potential of this biomaterial in wastewater treatment.

Bibliographic Details

Cariny Polesca; Helena Passos; Pedro Y. S. Nakasu; João A. P. Coutinho; Mara G. Freire; Jason P. Hallett

Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

Chemistry

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