Blend films of human hair and cellulose prepared from an ionic liquid

Human hair keratin/cellulose blend films were prepared in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazoles chloride ([BMIM]Cl) ionic liquid (IL), by the combination of human hair keratin and cotton fibers in different mass proportion, and these films were formed subsequently from the coagulated solutions. The hair/cellulose blend films were prepared by taking different weight ratios of hair and cellulose in ILs, dissolving them individually and mixing them with each other. For example, 90/10 hair /cellulose blends were prepared by mixing hair solution (9 g of 8wt% hair/[BMIM]Cl) and cellulose solution (1 g of 8wt% cellulose/[BMIM]Cl) together to get a mixture solution, and stirring them at 80℃ for 1 h in order to ensure complete intermixing. Then hair/cellulose blend films were obtained. The tests indicated that there was a good compatibility between human hair and cellulose in the regenerated human hair/cellulose blends as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission of light. The crystallization behavior and scanning electron microscope photograph showed that human hair and cellulose are miscible. The films were analyzed by thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry; the results showed that the blend films exhibited an increasing trend of the mechanical property and thermal stability with increase in cellulose content in the blends. This could be used for the development of keratin-based materials with improved mechanical properties.