The regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) film has attracted researcher’s attention because of its good biocompatibility. However, the poor mechanical properties of RSF film including brittleness have restricted its non-textile applications. In this study, a new and a highly crystallized silk fibroin nanofiber (SFNF) was successfully fabricated by new method: degumming and ultrasonication treatments and SFNF was added to RSF film to improve its mechanical properties.<br/>The Bombyx mori cocoons were degummed with a sodium carbonate (0.1 - 1.5 % (w/v)) and sorbitan monostearate 0.1 % (w/v) aqueous solution at boiling temperature for 1 h. The degummed SF fibers were immersed in purified water bath and ultrasonic power was applied to the degummed silk fiber suspension for 3 – 12 h using ultrasonicator<br/>The occurrence of SFNF on the surface of silk fibroin (SF) fiber by over-degumming was accelerated by ultrasonication. The SEM observation indicated that 130~200 nm SFNFs were well formed by degumming and ultrasonication treatments. FTIR measurement results showed that the crystallinity index of SFNF was significantly high (~68 %) compared to conventional degummed silk (~54 %). The breaking strength and elongation of RSF film was increased 1.6 fold and 3.4 fold, respectively by 15 % SFNF addition.<br/>A new nanofiber, SFNF, was successfully fabricated by new method. The mechanical test results showed that the mechanical properties of polymeric film can be remarkably improved by using SFNF implying the SFNF can be used as an excellent reinforcing material.

Fabrication of natural silk fibroin nanofiber and the improvement of mechanical properties of silk film using it

256th National Meeting (2018)

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