Cellulose, Chitosan and Keratin Composite Materials: Facile and Recyclable Synthesis, Conformation and Properties

A method was developed in which cellulose (CEL) and/or chitosan (CS) were added to keratin (KER) to enable [CEL/CS+KER] composites formed to have better mechanical strength and wider utilization. Butylmethylimmidazolium chloride ([BMIm+Cl–]), an ionic liquid, was used as the sole solvent, and because the majority of [BMIm+Cl–] used (at least 88%) was recovered, the method is green and recyclable. FTIR, XRD, 13C CP-MAS NMR and SEM results confirm...