Polyaluminum hydroxide-induced aggregation of keratin oligomer on cellulose substrate

The polyaluminum hydroxide-induced aggregation of keratin oligomers was attempted on cellulose substrate at 30–170 °C. The resultant cellulose surface was covered with fine whisker-like entities with submicron diameter. Weight-gain exceeded 30 % even after treatment at 30 °C. It is likely that polyaluminum hydroxide-induced aggregation of keratin oligomers occurs without heating by drying at room temperature. The fairly stable settlement of the whisker-like entities implies the interaction among the polyaluminum hydroxide gel (generated via the hydrolysis of aluminum chloride hexahydrate), cellulose, and keratin oligomer. Owing to these interactions, several peak shifts and changes in the peak intensities were observed in the FT-IR measurements. Bayerite and/or gibbsite crystals generated in the entities appeared to reinforce the whisker-like structure.