Engineering

Keratin

Biology

Materials science

Molecule

Biomimetics

Biological materials

Paleontology

Biochemical engineering

Polymer

Biopolymer

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

van der Waals force

Composite material

Chemistry

Polymer science

iScience

Keratin is a highly multifunctional biopolymer serving various roles in nature due to its diverse material properties, wide spectrum of structural designs, and impressive performance. Keratin-based materials are mechanically robust, thermally insulating, lightweight, capable of undergoing reversible adhesion through van der Waals forces, and exhibit structural coloration and hydrophobic surfaces. Thus, they have become templates for bioinspired designs and have even been applied as a functional material for biomedical applications and environmentally sustainable fiber-reinforced composites. This review aims to highlight keratin's remarkable capabilities as a biological component, a source of design inspiration, and an engineering material. We conclude with future directions for the exploration of keratinous materials.

Engineering with keratin: A functional material and a source of bioinspiration