2. Experimental
2.1. Keratin feather fiber
Keratin feather fiber is obtained from Featherfiber
Corporation (Nixa, MO). The keratin feather fiber is
cleaned and separated from the quill fraction according
to a process developed and patented by the USDA [44].
Currently, Featherfiber Corporation is the only known
commercial supplier of feather fiber material. While
there is much raw feather material available from poultry
processors, the feathers would have to be cleaned
and separated to obtain the fiber. The possibility of different
fibers possessing different properties has been alluded
to previously. So it may be possible to tailor