Methods for producing, films comprising, and methods for using heterogeneous crosslinked protein networks

1. A method for making a keratin network crosslinked by a multi-functional crosslinking agent comprising silicone, said method comprising exposing a plurality of α-keratin molecules comprising reactive pendant groups to said crosslinking agent under conditions effective to form covalent interprotein crosslinks between first reactive functionalities on said crosslinking agent and first reactive pendant groups on a first group of said α-keratin molecules, said conditions also being effective to form covalent interprotein crosslinks between second reactive functionalities on said crosslinking agent and second reactive pendant groups on a second group of α-keratin molecules, wherein said crosslinking agent has the following general structure:

wherein n is from about 1 to about 50; and,

at least two of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 comprise at least one reactive functionality; wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; cyclic, linear, and branched alkyl and heteroalkyl groups having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, said groups comprising both unsubstituted groups and groups substituted with one or more reactive functionalities, wherein said heteroalkyl groups comprise acetoxy groups, silane groups optionally comprising one or more alkyl substitutent having a total of from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first reactive functionality and said second reactive functionality comprise the same reactive moiety.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein R 1 and R 4 comprise said first and second reactive functionalities.

4. A network consisting essentially of keratin molecules comprising interkeratin crosslinks comprising first covalent bonds between first reactive functionalities on a plurality of molecules of a crosslinking agent comprising silicone and first reactive pendant groups on a plurality of first keratin molecules and second covalent bonds between second reactive functionalities on a plurality of molecules of said crosslinking agent and second reactive pendant groups on a plurality of second keratin molecules, wherein said crosslinking agent has the following general structure:

wherein n is from about 1 to about 50; and, A and B are the remainder of first and second protein molecules; at least two of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 comprise at least one reactive functionality; wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; cyclic, linear, and branched alkyl and heteroalkyl groups having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, said groups comprising both unsubstituted groups and groups substituted with at least one reactive functionality, wherein said heteroalkyl groups comprise acetoxy groups, silane groups optionally comprising one or more alkyl substitutent having a total of from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or combinations thereof.

5. The network of claim 4 wherein said first reactive functionalities and said second reactive functionalities comprise the same reactive moiety.

6. A heterogeneous crosslinked network comprising the following crosslinks:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are a remainder of a first keratin protein molecule; R 3 and R 4 is a remainder of a second protein molecule; and, R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are reacted groups selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; cyclic, linear, and branched alkyl and heteroalkyl groups having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, said groups comprising both unsubstituted groups and groups substituted with at least one reactive functionality, wherein said heteroalkyl groups comprise acetoxy groups, silane groups optionally comprising one or more alkyl substitutent having a total of from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof.

7. The network of claim 6 wherein at least one of R 6 and R 7 is an alkyl group.

8. The network of claim 6 wherein at least one of R 6 and R 7 is a methyl group.

9. The network of claim 6 wherein R 5 and R 8 comprise n-propoxypropyl groups.

10. The network of claim 7 wherein R 5 and R 8 comprise n-propoxypropyl groups.

11. A heterogeneous crosslinked network comprising the following crosslinks:

wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are a remainder of a first keratin protein molecule; R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are a remainder of a second keratin protein molecule; and, R 7 , R 8 , R 9 and R 10 are selected from the group consisting of cyclic, linear, and branched alkyl and heteroalkyl groups having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, said groups comprising both unsubstituted groups and groups substituted with at least one reactive functionality, wherein said heteroalkyl groups comprise acetoxy groups, silane groups optionally comprising one or more alkyl substituent having a total of from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof.

12. The network of claim 11 wherein at least one of R 9 and R 10 is an alkyl group.

13. The network of claim 11 wherein R 7 and R 8 are selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms and dimethylsiloxy groups.

14. The network of claim 12 wherein R 7 and R 8 are selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms and dimethylsiloxy groups.

15. A heterogeneous crosslinked network comprising the following crosslinks:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are a remainder of a first keratin protein molecule; R 3 and R 4 is a remainder of a second keratin protein molecule; and, R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are reacted groups selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; cyclic, linear, and branched alkyl and heteroalkyl groups having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, said groups comprising both unsubstituted groups and groups substituted with at least one reactive functionality, wherein said heteroalkyl groups comprise acetoxy groups, silane groups optionally comprising one or more alkyl substitutent having a total of from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof.

16. The network of claim 15 wherein R 5 and R 8 comprise n-propoxypropyl groups.

17. A heterogeneous crosslinked network comprising the following crosslinks:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are a remainder of a first keratin protein molecule; R 3 and R 4 are a remainder of a second keratin protein molecule; and, R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are reacted groups selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; cyclic, linear, and branched alkyl and heteroalkyl groups having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, said groups comprising both unsubstituted groups and groups substituted with at least one reactive functionality, wherein said heteroalkyl groups comprise acetoxy groups, silane groups optionally comprising one or more alkyl substitutent having a total of from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof.

18. The network of claim 17 wherein at least one of R 6 and R 7 is an alkyl group.

19. The network of claim 17 wherein R 7 and R 8 comprise n-propoxypropyl groups.

20. The network of claim 17 wherein said first and second protein molecules are keratin molecules.

21. A heterogeneous crosslinked network comprising the following crosslinks:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are a remainder of a first keratin protein molecule; R 3 and R 4 is a remainder of a second keratin protein molecule; and, R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are reacted groups selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; cyclic, linear, and branched alkyl and heteroalkyl groups having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, said groups comprising both unsubstituted groups and groups substituted with at least one reactive functionality, wherein said heteroalkyl groups comprise acetoxy groups, silane groups optionally comprising one or more alkyl substitutent having a total of from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof.

22. The network of claim 21 wherein at least one of R 6 and R 7 is an alkyl group.

23. The network of claim 21 wherein at least one of R 6 and R 7 is a methyl group.

24. A heterogeneous crosslinked network comprising the following crosslinks:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are a remainder of a first keratin protein molecule; R 3 and R 4 is a remainder of a second keratin protein molecule; and, R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are reacted groups selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; cyclic, linear, and branched alkyl and heteroalkyl groups having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, said groups comprising both unsubstituted groups and groups substituted with at least one reactive functionality, wherein said heteroalkyl groups comprise acetoxy groups, silane groups optionally comprising one or more alkyl substitutent having a total of from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof.

25. The network of claim 24 wherein at least one of R 6 and R 7 is an alkyl group.

26. The network of claim 24 wherein at least one of R 6 and R 7 is a methyl group.