Cellulose-silk biocomposite scaffolds are a groundbreaking technology that is currently being researched within the biomedical field. They are used in cell regeneration is sight of wounds and for tissue engineering. These scaffolds are made up of natural based composites, which are considered environmentally friendly as well as being nontoxic within biological systems. They provide a unique pathway because of their easy fabrication during space exploration; which minimizes material transfer between Earth and space sites. Cellulose is appealing to the medical field due to its crystallinity and amorphous morphology. <i>Bombyx Mori Silk </i>contains flexible protein fibers that contains tunable degradation rates and has good biocompatibility. These biocomposites are fabricated using ionic liquids. Ionic liquids are used as a solvent due to their reusability, high conductivity and thermal stability. The purpose of this study is to through variable fabrication methods, find an optimal ratio of the protein and the polysaccharide that promotes healing properties to minor skin lacerations. A series of characterization tests were performed using the following characterization techniques: Thermogravimetric Analyses (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). The results show profound changes in the secondary structure as a function of fabrication methods and tissue repair capabilities.

Characterization of silk-cellulose biocomposite for medical application in space exploration

2019 Spring National Meeting

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