The Binding of Small Molecules and Polymers to Keratin and Their Effects on the Physicochemical and Surface Properties of Hair Fibers

The 1981 study "The Binding of Small Molecules and Polymers to Keratin and Their Effects on the Physicochemical and Surface Properties of Hair Fibers" presented a model that views hair as a partially crystalline, organized, polymeric network capable of interacting with a variety of materials. The study found that the interactions of water, nonelectrolytes, and electrolytes with hair keratin significantly influence the physical and mechanical properties of hair by changing the balance between different types of noncovalent bonds. The surface properties of hair fibers, which affect the spreading and wicking of sebum, hair cleaning, and the combability and feel of hair, can be modified by the adsorption of suitable small and polymeric molecules.