Fabrication and Characterization of Hair Keratin-Chitosan-Based Porous Scaffolds for Biomedical Application

The document details the successful creation of hair keratin-chitosan based porous scaffolds using a freeze-drying method. The process involved reacting the amine/carboxyl groups of chitosan with the amine group of keratin in the presence of non-toxic cross-linkers, which are gaining attention due to the toxicity of most cross-linking agents. A 1% chitosan solution was used to prepare the chitosan-keratin blend. The porosity and morphology of the scaffolds were confirmed and studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the crystallinity of the samples was examined through a wide-angle X-ray diffraction study. Physical characteristics such as water solubility, swelling properties, and degradation were also assessed.