Abstract
Silk fibroin (SF) hydrogels were obtained from both domestic (Bombyx mori) and wild (Antheraea pernyi) silkworms from aqueous silk fibroin solutions at room temperature. The gelation time of theAntheraea pernyi(A. pernyi) SF solution was significantly shorter than that of theBombyx mori(B. mori) SF solution. The secondary structures of the two kinds of hydrogels were also compared. In order to further reduce the gelation time, various amounts of polyethylene glycol (PEG) were blended with the silk fibroins ofA. pernyiandB. mori. The gelation time of bothA. pernyiSF andB. moriSF decreased with the increased amount of PEG. After freeze-drying, the hydrogels were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Raman spectroscopy. Results showed that the addition of polyalcohol did not change the main secondary structure of the hydrogels. However, the addition of polyalcohol did reduce the gelation time and triggered additional formation ofβ-sheets.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.