title: Study on the structure and properties of wool keratin regenerated from formic acid.
abstract: Structural characteristics of keratin regenerated from water (KW) and from formic (KF) acid solutions were compared. Amino acid composition and molecular weight distribution of KW and KF samples were studied by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Turbidity measurement showed that keratin dissolved in formic acid forms transparent and stable solutions and no flocculation occurs. In addition, because of its good solvation properties, studied by viscosity measurements, formic acid can be used as a co-solvent to prepare keratin-based blend solutions. Structural studies carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and near infrared (NIR) suggest that formic acid stabilizes the beta-sheet structure. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals a higher thermal stability of keratin regenerated from formic acid with respect to keratin regenerated from water.
authors.affiliation: CNR-ISMAC, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, C.so G. Pella 16, 13900 Biella, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aluigi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zoccola
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vineis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tonin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canetti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005427:Flocculation; D005561:Formates / Q000737:chemistry*; D007633:Keratins / Q000737:chemistry*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D012756:Sheep; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014783:Viscosity; D014935:Wool / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D005561:Formates; C030544:formic acid; D007633:Keratins