Study on the adsorption of chromium (VI) by hydrolyzed keratin/polyamide 6 blend nanofibres.

In this study, nanofibre mats for chemical adsorption of heavy metals were prepared by electrospinning blends of hydrolyzed keratin (HK) and polyamide 6 (PA6) in formic acid. Viscosity measurements of the spinning solutions and morphological analyses of the fracture sections of the same polymer blends cast into films, suggested intermolecular interactions and good compatibility between HK and PA6. The mats made of continuous randomly oriented blend nanofilaments of HK/PA6 50/50 wt, with a mean diameter of about 200 nm, were tested as chromium (VI) ion adsorbents.