Keratin/polyvinyl alcohol blend films cross-linked by dialdehyde starch and their potential application for drug release

Abstract

Feather keratin (FK) extracted from feathers represents a valuable source of biodegradable and biocompatible polymer. The aim of this study was the development and characterization of blended films based on FK and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) cross-linked by dialdehyde starch (DAS) for a potential drug release application. The compatibility of FK/PVA was improved when cross-linked by DAS: the relative crystallinity of the PVA/FK film slightly decreased, and the enthalpy value for the melting peak decreased by about 50% for the cross-linked films. The total soluble mass of all blend films in water was below 35% at 37 °C, indicating a good stability of the films in water. The results of the Rhodamine B dye (as a model drug) release tests showed that the release rates decreased with increasing DAS content. DAS-induced cross-linking improves several important properties of the FK/PVA films, such as the compactness, the compatibility, and the stability in water. These improvements offer the potential to expand the application of FK films in the biomaterial field.