Feasibility of Bombyx Silk Fiber Polymer Composite as materials for medical applications: Preparation, physical and mechanical properties

Abstract

Natural Bombyx Silk Fibers were fabricated as silk fiber polymer composites using acrylic resin by lamination thermoforming technique. The physical and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated and the test results were compared to the synthetic carbon fiber polymer composites. The results found that although synthetic carbon fiber polymer composites provided as high a performance of mechanical testing, including tensile strength test, hardness test and flexural test as natural Bombyx silk fiber polymer composites; however, the natural fiber composites had a lower weight ratio and thickness ratio compared to the synthetic polymer composites.