Valorization of Keratin Waste as a Functional Precursor for PLA/SBS Composite Adsorbent Films

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Waste Valorization

Background:

• Sheep wool waste presents a significant disposal challenge.
• Keratin, a protein abundant in wool, possesses unique properties for material development.
• Developing sustainable adsorbents for heavy metal removal is crucial for environmental protection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To valorize sheep wool waste by extracting keratin.
• To prepare and characterize Poly Lactic Acid (PLA)/Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS)/Keratin composites.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these composites as adsorbents for chromium (Cr) removal from synthetic water.

Main Methods:

• Keratin extraction from sheep wool waste.
• Preparation of PLA/SBS/Keratin composites with varying keratin content (10-30 wt%).
• Characterization using SEM, FT-IR, TGA, and DMA.
• Adsorption experiments to assess Cr removal efficiency and capacity.
• Regeneration studies over three cycles.

Main Results:

• Keratin demonstrated a Cr(VI) adsorption capacity of 57.57 mg g^-1.
• The PLA/SBS composite with 10 wt% keratin achieved 55.41% total Cr removal efficiency.
• Composite characterization confirmed structural integrity and thermal stability.
• Adsorbent performance decreased by approximately 50% after three regeneration cycles.

Conclusions:

• Sheep wool-derived keratin can be successfully incorporated into PLA/SBS composites.
• These composites show potential as adsorbents for chromium removal.
• Further optimization is needed to enhance regeneration efficiency for long-term applications.