United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture

Jeanette M Cardamone

Paquita Erazo-Majewicz

Nabil Naouli

Jiming Yao

Anand Purshottam Kanchager

A composition containing sulfonated keratin with molecular weight distribution of about 96.8% 100 kDa to 100 Da and about 3.2% 250 kDa to 100 kDa, at least one cationic surfactant, and optionally an aqueous carrier. Generally the keratin is produced by a method involving treating wool with about 0.5 to about 1.0N NaOH in a bath volume:wool weight of about 5:1 to about 10:1 at about 40&#xb0; C. to about 65&#xb0; C. for about 4 to about 8 hours with dosing about every 1 to 3 hours with about 1% to about 10% by weight of bath of hydrogen peroxide. Also a method for treating a keratin based substrate involving contacting or applying the substrate (e.g., hair) with the composition.

Compositions and methods for treating a keratin based substrate

Methods to produce keratin elastomer, involving:

Methods to produce keratin elastomer

Methods of inhibiting the burning of natural fibers (e.g., wool, wool fibers, animal hair, cotton), synthetic fibers (e.g., acetate, nylon, polyester, viscose rayon), or blends thereof (e.g., wool/cotton blends), or fabrics or yarns composed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or blends thereof, involving treating the fibers (or fabrics or yarns) with polyamic acid or at least one polyimidesiloxane (PISi) or mixtures of polyamic acid and at least one polyimidesiloxane. Also products produced by such methods.

Method of inhibiting the burning of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or mixtures thereof, or fabric or yarn composed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or mixtures thereof, and products produced by such methods

Methods of improving shrink-resistance of natural fibers (e.g., wool, wool fibers, animal hair, cotton), synthetic fibers (e.g., acetate, nylon, polyester, viscose rayon), or blends thereof (e.g., wool/cotton blends), or fabrics or yarns composed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or blends thereof, involving contacting the fibers (or fabric or yarn) with NaOH, HO, gluconic acid, dicyandiamide, and non-ionic surfactant (e.g., Triton X surfactant such as Triton X-100 and preferably Triton X-114), and optionally subsequently contacting the fibers (or fabric or yarn) with protease and non-ionic surfactant and optionally sodium sulfite and optionally triethanolamine and optionally polyacrylamide polymer. The methods do not utilize dichloroisocyanuric acid, chloroamines, peroxymonosulfuric acid, monoperoxyphthalic acid, permanganate, chlorine gas, sodium hypochlorite, or aminoplast resins.

Methods of improving shrink-resistance of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or mixtures thereof, or fabric or yarn composed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or mixtures thereof

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Lafayette Hill, PA, United States of America

Jeanette M Cardamone