Preparation of dynamic covalently crosslinking keratin hydrogels based on thiol/disulfide bonds exchange strategy

Dynamic covalently crosslinking (DCC) hydrogels can mimic extracellular matrix and have the functions such as self-healing, self-adapting, and shape memory. The DCC keratin hydrogels based on thiol group-disulfide bonds exchange strategy have no reports so far as we know. Herein, inspired by the rich content of the intramolecular disulfide bonds and free thiol groups in the keratins extracted by reducing agents, we report a simple thiol-disulfide bonds exchange strategy for preparing the DCC keratin hydrogels. While the pH value of the keratin solution extracted by reducing agents was adjusted to 9.5–10.0, the keratin hydrogels showed the characteristic with injectability, self-healing, self-adapting, biocompatibility, and redox-responsive capacity. The extracted type II neutral/alkali keratin plays a critical role in imparting the keratin hydrogels with the reversibility behaviors due to that the keratins could build dynamic covalent bonds through thiol oxidation and disulfide exchange reactions in alkali conditions. This strategy provides an inspiration for forming DCC keratin hydrogel by avoiding the extra introduction of chemical crosslinking agents.