Keratin polymer having improved thermal properties

In this paper, wool keratin polymers having significantly improved thermal properties through the chemical modifications with P, N and Cl synergic effects are reported. The changes of chemical compositions of the keratin polymers before and after the treatment were characterised by using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), 31P Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (31P-NMR) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques. Their thermal properties were examined through Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The treated keratin polymers have shown much less mass losses and greater char residues than that of untreated keratin polymer during the pyrolysis process in TGA. The treated keratin polymers are envisaged to have advantages of improved flame retardant properties.