Silk Research Articles

Aminated silver nanowires as current collectors and binders for the preparation of multilayer graphite loading high-performance silk fiber electrodes

The rapid development of wearable electronic devices has put forward high requirements for their energy storage devices. Currently, fiber supercapacitors have attracted widespread attention owing to their miniature sizes and high flexibility, but an improvement in their electrochemical performance is often limited by the loading of conductive energy storage materials. Herein, a multilayer graphene loading strategy based on amino silver nanowires (NH2-AgNWs) was developed to prepare silk electrodes, wherein NH2-AgNWs were used as current collectors and binders to increase the conductivity of silk electrodes and achieve multilayer loading graphene on silk. The prepared silk electrode exhibited a high specific capacitance of 37.14 mF/cm because of the multilayer loading of the conductive energy storage material. The generality of this method is further demonstrated with a cotton thread substrate electrode, which exhibited a specific capacitance of 69.45 mF/cm. Additionally, a parallel fiber-shaped supercapacitor (PFSS) was assembled, at the maximum power density of 74.48 mW/m2, the energy density reaches 1468.87 mWh/m2. The PFSS exhibited a capacitance retention rate of 93.01 % when the bending degree was 90°. This study proposes a multilayer graphene loading strategy based on NH2-AgNWs for the preparation of fiber electrodes and a flexible fiber supercapacitor was assembled.

High-strength and ultra-tough supramolecular polyamide spider silk fibers assembled via specific covalent and reversible hydrogen bonds

Achieving ultra-high tensile strength and exceptional toughness is a longstanding goal for structural materials. However, previous attempts using covalent and non-covalent bonds have failed, leading to the belief that these two properties are mutually exclusive. Consequently, commercial fibers have been forced to compromise between tensile strength and toughness, as seen in the differences between nylon and Kevlar. To address this challenge, we drew inspiration from the disparate tensile strength and toughness of nylon and Kevlar, both of which are polyamide fibers, and developed an innovative approach that combines specific intermolecular disulfide bonds and reversible hydrogen bonds to create ultra-strong and ultra-tough polyamide spider silk fibers. Our resulting Supramolecular polyamide spider silk, which has a maximum molecular weight of 1084 kDa, exhibits high tensile strength (1180 MPa) and extraordinary toughness (433 MJ/m3), surpassing Kevlar's toughness 8-fold. This breakthrough presents a new opportunity for the sustainable development of spider silk as an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic commercial fibers, as spider silk is composed of amino acids. Future research could explore the use of these techniques and fundamental knowledge to develop other super materials in various mechanical fields, with the potential to improve people's lives in many ways. Statement of significance• By emulating synthetic commercial fibers such as nylon and polyethylene, we have successfully produced supramolecular-weight polyamide spider silk fibers with a molecular weight of 1084 kDa through a unique covalent bond-mediated linear polymerization reaction of spider silk protein molecules. This greatly surpasses the previous record of a maximum molecular weight of 556 kDa. • We obtained supramolecular polyamide spider silk fibers with both high-tensile strength and toughness. The stress at break is 1180 MPa, and the toughness is 8 times that of kevlar, reaching 433 MJ/m3. • Our results challenge the notion that it is impossible to manufacture fibers with both ultra-high tensile strength and ultra-toughness, and provide theoretical guidance for developing environmentally friendly and sustainable structural materials that meet industrial needs.

Multicultural Elements of the Mongol-Yuan Silk Textile

Textiles have played a significant role in understanding the life and thinking of its users. Yuan silk textile greatly merges the weaving styles from the land that the Mongol-Yuan conquered. This paper offers an explanation on a specific Yuan silk textile by analyzing its motifs, colors, techniques, and the users attitudes toward them. This textile would require an overall look with Han and Islamic pattern structure, with a Taoism symbol, Buddhist lotus, and Mongolian nomadic totems. These features can be discussed with a comparison of the works of previous dynasties and evinced by historical records. This paper proposes that the previous dichotomy or setting of the Yuans preference for some cultures is misleading. Instead, it should be realized that the motifs and techniques imply the Mongol Yuans admiration of Buddhism, Han culture, and Islamic weaving techniques. In this admiration, the Yuans ban on the application of some motifs conveys their narrow cultural controls and causes the misunderstanding that denies their contribution to cultural communication. A motif cannot be clearly defined as a representation of one single culture. In other words, the Yuan court followed the confluence of diverse cultures with the development of commercial and travel.

Under Tension, Under Pressure, Making Waves

The Fortuny Delphos dress from the first half of the twentieth century is famous not only for its unique pleated drape but also for the mystery of the technique used to make it. This article details experimental trials with pleating and undulating silk fabric for the creation of replica garments made with these fabrics. The results are placed in the context of prior research and an analysis of a Delphos dress from the 1930s. The final method achieves effects matching the Delphos dress in all the key aspects: fine, irregular pleats with sinuous ripples, both of which are robust enough to survive moderate washing. Additional consistencies with the finer details of the 1930s gown suggest that the methods used to create the replica may reflect some of the historic processes for pleating silk used on the original Delphos.

Synthesis of a series of Homo-Bifunctional Azo Reactive dyes and Evaluation of their dyeing properties on Silk fabric

This paper was conceived with the objective of synthesizing and evaluating some novel bifunctional Dichlorotriazine (DCT) azo reactive dyes. They were synthesized via tetrazotization of 1, 4- benzenediamine followed by the coupling with cyanurated 4-nitroanilino acids components (H-acid, J-acid, Laurent acid, Tobias acid and Gamma acid) respectively. The spectra properties (UV-vis spectra, FT-IR, 1H NMR and MS) of the synthesised dyes are reported. The novel bifunctional dichlorotriazine (DCT) azo reactive dyes were applied on silk fabric using the exhaustion techniques. The total exhaustion and fixation values were estimated. The basic fastness properties to washing, light and perspiration of the dyes on silk fabric were discussed in terms of their chemical structure. The dyes showed good build up, levelling and fastness properties on silk fabrics.

Dynamics of the warp beam brake drive on a weaving loom for the production of natural silk fabrics

In the process of producing silk fabrics, by the fact of the high elastic properties of the threads large relaxation oscillations occur in the weaving system of the loom. Therefore, it is advisable to equip looms for the production of silk fabrics with brake regulators, and the rest of the range of fabrics with main regulators. On the basis of a mechanical model of relaxation oscillations and the scheme of a braking regulator for this model the regularities of friction force change depending on the duration of immovable contact and spring tension in time are obtained. The friction force for long contact time, zero contact time and contact time are determined. The mode against rotation of a driving disk causes stability of braking in a frictional pair.

Preparation of Natural Plant Polyphenol Catechin Film for Structural Coloration of Silk Fabrics.

Traditional textile dyeing uses chemical pigments and dyes, which consumes a large amount of water and causes serious environmental pollution. Structural color is an essential means of achieving green dyeing of textiles, and thin-film interference is one of the principles of structural coloring. In the assembly of structural color films, it is necessary to introduce dark materials to suppress light scattering and improve the brightness of the fabric. In this study, the conditions for the generation of nanofilms of catechin (CC) at the gas-liquid interface were successfully investigated. At the same time, environmentally friendly colored silk fabrics were novelly prepared using polycatechin (PCC) structural color films. In addition, it was found that various structural colors were obtained on the surface of silk fabrics by adjusting the time. Meanwhile, the color fastness of the structural colored fabrics was improved by introducing polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to form a strong hydrogen bond between the fabric and catechin. PCC film is uniform and smooth, with a special double-layer structure, and can be attached to the surface of silk fabrics, giving the fabrics special structural colors. Through the thin-film interference formed between the visible light and the PCC film, the silk fabrics obtain bright, controllable, and uniform structural colors. This method is easy to operate and provides a new way of thinking for environmental-protection-oriented coloring of fabrics.

In vitro chemical treatment of silk increases the expression of pro-inflammatory factors and facilitates degradation in rats.

Silk fiber is difficult to degrade in vivo, which limits its application in tissue engineering materials such as artificial nerves. Therefore, in this study aim to promote its degradation in vivo by chemical treating silk fibers in vitro. Sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations, mechanical test, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) measurements were used to investigate the degradation effect of chemicals (hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, and calcium chloride) on silk fiber in vitro. Immunofluorescence staining and transcriptome analysis were used to investigate the effect of inflammatory factors on the degradation of chemically treated silk fiber in rats. (1) Silks were separated into finer fibers in each group. (2) FT-IR absorption peaks of amides I, II, and III overlap in each group. (3) Silk degradation degree in each group was higher than that in an untreated group. The calcium chloride-treated group was completely degraded. (4) Fibronectin, collagen I, collagen III, integrin α and CD68 were immunofluorescence positive in all vegetation section. (5) There were no significant differences in the expressions of collagen I, collagen III, and fibronectin in the vegetations formed on the 14th day of subcutaneous implantation, while integrin α, CD68, TNF-α, IL-1b, and IL-23 express at higher levels with IL-10 at lower levels. All chemicals could completely degrade silk; however, their degradation products were not the same. The chemicals change the mechanical properties of silk by separating it into finer fibers, which increase the contact surface area between the silk and tissue fluid, accelerating the degradation of monofilaments in vivo by promoting inflammation and macrophage activity through the increased and decreased expressions of pro- and anti-inflammatory factors, respectively.

Enhancing Translation Research on Chinese Silk Terminology: A Critical Review from the Perspective of Skopos Theory

As China’s international status continues to improve and its foreign trade and exchanges become more and more frequent, the development of China’s silk industry has received more and more attention. As a bridge for China’s foreign trade in silk industry, its translation will take on important responsibilities in the future. The accurate translation of Chinese silk terminology is the most direct, authoritative and comprehensive source of information about Chinese silk culture for people around the world. In the new era, a better standardization of Chinese silk terminology translation is a new requirement for the international community to have a more comprehensive understanding of Chinese silk and culture in the future. Therefore, it is crucial to explore and study translation theories in translation practice in the context of Chinese silk terminology.

Polydopamine-mediated in situ synthesis of gold nanoparticles uniformly distributed on silk fibers as reusable catalysts for efficient 4-nitrophenol reduction

Developing green fibrous materials with uniformly distributed metal nanoparticles for highly efficient and recyclable catalysis remains a major challenge. Herein, we developed a simple, effective, and green method to immobilize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on polydopamine (PDA)-functionalized silk fibers (SFs) for efficient catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The density and size of AuNPs on the PDA-coated SFs can be tuned by adjusting precursor concentration and synthesis duration, respectively. The AuNPs-PDA-SFs catalysts prepared under optimized conditions could catalyze the reduction of 4-NP, 4-nitroaniline (4-NA), and 4-amino-3-nitrophenol (4-A-3-NP) at the apparent rate constants of 0.087, 0.091, and 0.063 min−1, respectively. After six rounds of flow-through reduction of 4-NP, the AuNPs-PDA-SFs could maintain a 4-NP conversion rate greater than 92%, indicating their superior reusability and consistent catalytic activity. Due to the protein properties of SFs, the AuNPs-PDA-SFs can be degraded by enzymes and alkali solutions. This work may provide new insights for designing advanced fiber-supported recyclable catalysts with high catalytic performance and reusability in wastewater treatment.

Calico Madams and South Sea Cheats: Global Trade, Finance, and Popular Protest in Early Hanoverian England

AbstractIn the summer of 1719, woolen and silk weavers took to the streets in cities and towns across England to protest the East India Company's importation of cotton calicoes from South Asia. English weavers viewed these popular imports as hurting their economic livelihoods. During the protests, they violently turned their anger against women wearing calico, tearing off their clothes and even throwing acid on some victims. Their actions spurred widespread condemnation, but the weavers got what they wanted in the end. In March 1721, an act banning the importation and use of all calico cloth in Britain received royal assent. On that same day, an act arranging the first in a series of financial rescues of the South Sea Company in the wake of the South Sea Bubble became law. Drawing from a range of archival and printed sources, the author explores the political and cultural connections between the calico crisis and the South Sea Bubble and investigates how reactions to both episodes intersected ideologically with fears of Jacobitism and foreign invasion and with broader anxieties about gender, the social order, and the political influence of financial corporations.

Synthesis and structure characterization of ZnTiO3 nanoparticles and their antibacterial performances on silk fabrics

Nanomaterials are favored choices for antibacterial applications. ZnTiO3 nanoparticles, characterized by advantageous properties like small size, large surface area, and unique physicochemical attributes, represent a novel class of antibacterial active materials. In this study, we synthesized and characterized ZnTiO3 nanoparticles using the molten-salt method (MSS). The effect of various parameters, such as reaction temperature, size, and purity of products, was investigated. Additionally, the impact of ZnTiO3 nanoparticles on antibacterial activity in natural fabrics was studied. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The XRD results revealed that the particles exhibited high phase purity at 100% and good crystallinity. A crystalline pure perovskite phase of ZnTiO3 was formed at 700°C. The particle size of ZnTiO3 powder at the optimum temperature is 119 nm with a spherical-like shape. The modified fabric with ZnTiO3 and B7 demonstrated an excellent reduction of 100% in bacterial colonies. The results of this study demonstrate that ZnTiO3 synthesis using MSS is a simple and environmentally friendly method for achieving antibacterial activity in natural fabrics.

Extraction and Application of Turmeric Dye on Silk Fabric

Extraction and Application of Turmeric Dye on Silk Fabric

Silk-based intelligent fibers and textiles: structures, properties, and applications.

Multifunctional fibers represent a cornerstone of human civilization, playing a pivotal role in numerous aspects of societal development. Natural biomaterials, in contrast to synthetic alternatives, offer environmental sustainability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Among these biomaterials, natural silk is favored in biomedical applications and smart fiber technology due to its accessibility, superior mechanical properties, diverse functional groups, controllable structure, and exceptional biocompatibility. This review delves into the intricate structure and properties of natural silk fibers and their extensive applications in biomedicine and smart fiber technology. It highlights the critical significance of silk fibers in the development of multifunctional materials, emphasizing their mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. A detailed analysis of the hierarchical structure of silk fibers elucidates how these structural features contribute to their unique properties. The review also encompasses the biomedical applications of silk fibers, including surgical sutures, tissue engineering, and drug delivery systems, along with recent advancements in smart fiber applications such as sensing, optical technologies, and energy storage. The enhancement of functional properties of silk fibers through chemical or physical modifications is discussed, suggesting broader high-end applications. Additionally, the review addresses current challenges and future directions in the application of silk fibers in biomedicine and smart fiber technologies, underscoring silk's potential in driving contemporary technological innovations. The versatility and sustainability of silk fibers position them as pivotal elements in contemporary materials science and technology, fostering the development of next-generation smart materials.

Religiosity and Artisanal Mobility: The Confluence of Confraternity and the Silk Industry in Byzantine Thebes circa 1100

Religiosity and Artisanal Mobility: The Confluence of Confraternity and the Silk Industry in Byzantine Thebes circa 1100

Primary processing technology of silk waste for use in silk industries

Primary processing technology of silk waste for use in silk industries

A Study On The Factors Influencing Purchase Behaviour Of The Customers Towards Silk Sarees In Kancheepuram

Studying the behavior of female consumers has become crucial. Consumers reign as the pivotal force in markets. Kanchipuram Silk boasts a rich historical legacy dating back to the early era of South India under the Pallavas. As a temple city and former capital of various South Indian dynasties, the silk handloom industry has thrived here, supported by royal patronage, elevating weavers to a prominent position in the social hierarchy. Businesses cannot operate without consumers. The rising costs of raw materials, particularly zari, emerge as a significant production hurdle, accompanied by challenges like working capital issues, increased use of counterfeit zari, and low wages. In marketing, the primary concern is the escalating prices of finished goods due to input cost hikes, followed by the influx of silk fabrics containing fake zari, unfair trade practices such as selling non-Kanchipuram products under its brand name, intermediary misconduct, lack of advertising, and the availability of cheaper alternatives. Understanding consumer behavior delves into their purchasing patterns, considering their roles as users, payers, and buyers. People's desires for products and services have dramatically expanded, leading to shifting attitudes and behaviors that can be sensitive to price fluctuations. To establish a study framework, various paradigms of thought that have influenced the discipline of consumer behavior need to be considered.

Enhancement of silk fabric knife-stabbing resistance for soft body armor

Traditional silk, known for its strength, flexibility, and comfort, shows promise as a lightweight, comfortable material for stab-resistant armor. This study explores enhancing silk’s knife-stabbing resistance for soft body armor through surface treatments. This study aims to augment the knife-stabbing resistance of silk fabric for soft body armor. Designed a falling tower setup to investigate fabric responses under impact. Exploring the addition of layers with coatings like silicon dioxide deposition, rice ash deposition, and aluminum oxide particles, the investigation revealed significant enhancements. A solitary silk layer exclusively coated with resin exhibited improvements of approximately 37.07%, 29.21%, and 13.47% in stab resistance for rice ash, aluminum oxide, and silicon oxide particles, respectively. The specific knife penetration depth indicated that the coating is more effective in diminishing penetration depth. The research identified that 7 layers of pure silk and 3 layers coated with rice ash satisfy National Institute of Justice Standard–0115.00, S1 as 26 layers of silk fabric, demonstrating a reduction without compromising protective efficacy.

Displacement of the selvage of the fabric on shuttless looms as a factor in optimizing the silk fabric production process

One of the main weaving defects that reduces the quality of solid fabrics is streaks that appear after stopping the machine. These bands differ from shortcuts in that they only form when the machine is put into operation. The reason for the formation of boot bands can be due to the characteristics of both the elastic feeding system and the design of the main machine parts involved in the fabric formation process: batons, waste, feeding devices material for the machine with the base. and discard the finished fabric. On textile machines, for ease of maintenance, the machines are stopped and started in a stagnant position, and with each subsequent start of the machine, the baton and together with the reed do not have time to gain inertial force. that they have when the machine is running. As a result, the strength of the reed waves may not be enough, leading to the formation of shear lines (release strips). The main controller of a nonclosing loom does not control the tension of the sole after stopping the machine. Warp tension due to warp yarn slackening and fabric changes, resulting in a change in tension at the first pass. On a weaving machine, the elastic fabric forming system (ESFF) consists of two heterogeneous warp and fabric systems, with different stretch characteristics, and when the weaving machine is stopped, the relative lengths of the warp and fabric as well as the total The tension of the elastic system changes the formation of the fabric. In this case, the total length of the elastic tissue formation system does not change.

Investigation of plasma parameters, distributions, and optical emission for the anti-microbial performance of non-woven fabric under direct current glow discharge

The distribution of electron temperature Te and density Ne for direct current glow plasma discharge was investigated, using a single Langmuir probe, inserted inside the plasma cell. The radial temperature distribution has the same values, except with a small increment variation at the cathode edge, and an axial decrement for the temperature Te distribution profiles from the cathode fall region, passing the abnormal glow region, up to the faraway axial region.The radial distribution of the electron density Ne has its highest value at the cathode, with very intense plasma at the cathode fall region, and more Ne decrement in the abnormal glow region, passing the abnormal glow region up to the faraway axial region. In the axial Ne distribution, an increase in Ne from the cathode fall region reaches maximum values in the abnormal glow region and decreases in the faraway axial region.The optimal plasma surface treatment of non-woven silk fabric (n-WSF) can be achieved by utilizing a high plasma density and low energy of electrons to inactivate viable cells attached to (n-WSF) at very short application times, leading to complete inactivation, where the bacterial inactivation rate increases in the abnormal glow region. Based on analyses of the experimental data of initial and final densities of viable cells using survival curves in the abnormal glow discharge region, a dramatic inhibitory effect of plasma discharge on the residual survival microbe ratio was observed.