en.Wedoany.com Reported - Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (Fraunhofer IPA) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (Fraunhofer IAP) are exploring the use of keratin from chicken feathers as a substitute for mineral fillers. According to the two institutes, this structural protein has the potential to simultaneously fulfill multiple functions in coatings while reducing production costs and resource consumption.
Finely ground keratin mixed with water forms a dispersion that is only slowly degraded by microorganisms. This makes keratin not only suitable as a low-cost filler but also a potential component for enhancing coatings resistant to microbial attack. Laboratory tests show that combining keratin with small amounts of copper salts or copper particles also provides UV protection, suggesting that the protein could eventually replace the function currently performed by titanium dioxide.
Researchers have also identified the potential of combining keratin with boron nitride. In a binder system, this combination can form an ordered structure, giving the coating higher mechanical strength and slowing water penetration. This opens up potential applications for corrosion-resistant powder coatings on products such as fences, gardening tools, or outdoor furniture.
For industrial application, keratin must first be processed efficiently. Chemical methods can produce larger quantities of powder but partially weaken the protein's functional properties. Mechanical and mechanochemical methods yield better results but are currently limited to laboratory scale.
To scale up production, the project partners plan to collaborate with equipment manufacturer Zoz GmbH. At the same time, a cleaning and grinding device is being developed that can process feathers directly into micron or nano powder on-site, potentially reducing transportation needs, CO₂ emissions, and disposal costs.
Additionally, the research team is working with powder coating specialist Enviral to further develop keratin-based coatings for industrial applications. If the method can be successfully scaled up, chicken feathers, currently considered primarily a waste stream from the poultry industry, could become a raw material source for the coatings sector.
