Fluorescent silk fibroin nanoparticles prepared using a reverse microemulsion

Abstract

Color dye-doped silk fibroin nanoparticles were successfully fabricated using a microemulsion method. An aqueous silk fibroin solution was prepared by dissolving cocoons (Bombyx mori) in a concentrated lithium bromide solution followed by dialysis. A color dye solution was also mixed with the aqueous silk fibroin solution. The surfactants used for the microemulsion were then removed by methanol and ethanol, yielding color dye-doped silk fibroin nanoparticles, approximately 167 nm in diameter. The secondary structure of the nanoparticles showed a β-sheet conformation, as characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The morphology of the nanoparticles was determined by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, and their size and size distribution were measured by dynamic light scattering. The color dye-doped silk fibroin nanoparticles were examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy.