Kyung Sujin, Koh Won-Gun, Lee Hyun Jong
School of Chemical, Biological and Battery Engineering, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Seongnam-si 13120, Republic of Korea.
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
Polymers (Basel). 2025 Jun 6;17(12):1585. doi: 10.3390/polym17121585.
Hair is continuously exposed to various damaging factors in daily life, necessitating effective protective strategies that balance efficacy with environmental sustainability. In this study, we developed an environmentally friendly hair protective coating using casein proteins crosslinked with tannic acid via riboflavin phosphate-mediated photo-initiation. Casein solutions containing tannic acid (0.05% /) and riboflavin phosphate (0.01-0.1% /) were prepared and applied to virgin Asian hair, followed by blue light irradiation to initiate crosslinking. The coating formation mechanism was investigated through rheological characterization, which confirmed successful network formation with optimal mechanical stability at a 0.05% tannic acid concentration. Chemical analysis using FTIR spectroscopy revealed subtle but meaningful interactions between the coating components, while SEM analysis demonstrated the coating's integration with the hair surface. Mechanical property evaluations showed that the photo-crosslinked coating significantly enhanced hair tensile strength by approximately 21% compared to untreated hair, while maintaining appropriate elasticity. Region-specific analysis of stress-strain behavior indicated that the coating extended the initial Hookean region while preserving natural resistance in the post-yield region, creating a balanced enhancement in mechanical properties. This approach offers a promising alternative to conventional hair treatments by utilizing natural, food-grade components and mild processing conditions, addressing growing demands for sustainable hair care solutions that effectively protect against daily damage.
头发在日常生活中持续暴露于各种损伤因素，因此需要有效的保护策略，在功效与环境可持续性之间取得平衡。在本研究中，我们通过磷酸核黄素介导的光引发，利用与单宁酸交联的酪蛋白制备了一种环保型头发保护涂层。制备含有单宁酸（0.05% /）和磷酸核黄素（0.01 - 0.1% /）的酪蛋白溶液，并将其应用于未处理的亚洲人头发上，随后进行蓝光照射以引发交联。通过流变学表征研究了涂层形成机制，证实了在0.05%单宁酸浓度下成功形成具有最佳机械稳定性的网络。使用傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）进行的化学分析揭示了涂层成分之间细微但有意义的相互作用，而扫描电子显微镜（SEM）分析表明涂层与头发表面融合。机械性能评估表明，与未处理的头发相比，光交联涂层显著提高了头发的拉伸强度，提高了约21%，同时保持了适当的弹性。对应力 - 应变行为的区域特异性分析表明，涂层扩展了初始胡克区域，同时在后屈服区域保持了自然抗性，在机械性能方面实现了平衡增强。这种方法通过利用天然、食品级成分和温和的加工条件，为传统头发护理提供了一种有前景的替代方案，满足了对有效抵御日常损伤的可持续头发护理解决方案日益增长的需求。
