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Dissolution and Regeneration of Bombyx mori Silk Fibroin Using Ionic Liquids

2004; American Chemical Society; Volume: 126; Issue: 44 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1021/ja046079f

1943-2984

David M. Phillips, Lawrence F. Drummy, Deborah G. Conrady, Douglas M. Fox, Rajesh R. Naik, Morley O. Stone, Paul C. Trulove, Hugh C. De Long, Robert A. Mantz,

Nanocomposite Films for Food Packaging

In this work, the suitability of imidazolium-based ionic liquid solvents is investigated for the dissolution and regeneration of silkworm (Bombyx mori) silk. Within an ionic liquid the anion plays a larger role in dictating the ultimate solubility of the silk. The dissolution of the silk in the ionic liquid is confirmed using wide-angle X-ray scattering. The dissolved silk is also processed into 100 mum-thick, two-dimensional films, and the structure of these films is examined. The rinse solvent, acetonitrile or methanol, has a profound impact on both the topography of the films and the secondary structure of the silk protein. The image depicts a silkworm cocoon dissolved in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and then regenerated as a film with birefringence.