Keramiinien

Keramiinien is a proposed class of organic compounds described in some chemical literature as keratin-inspired, nitrogen-rich polymers and oligomers. The name combines keratin with the -ien suffix to signal a family of related species. In general, keramiinien are macromolecules built from keratin-derived amino acid building blocks that feature amine functional groups along the backbone, enabling hydrogen bonding and crosslinking.

Typical keramiinien molecules exhibit variable chain lengths and degrees of branching. Their backbones are often based on peptide-like linkages, and they may retain disulfide-rich motifs reminiscent of natural keratin when prepared from recovered keratin fragments. The resulting materials tend to be hydrophilic to moderately hydrophobic, with mechanical integrity when crosslinked.

Synthesis routes described in limited sources begin with keratin-rich waste (such as feathers or wool) or synthetic peptide fragments, followed by demineralization, reduction of disulfide bonds, and subsequent refunctionalization to introduce additional amine groups. Crosslinking is commonly achieved through chemical or enzymatic methods or oxidative coupling.

Applications proposed for keramiinien include biocompatible coatings, hydrogels for tissue engineering, and sustainable polymers for adhesives or coatings. The term is not widely standardized, and definitions can vary between studies. Researchers emphasize the potential of keratin-derived, amine-containing polymers to combine biodegradability with tunable mechanical properties.

See also: keratin, biopolymers, hydrogels, amino polymers.