A MICROFABRICATED WET-SPINNING APPARATUS TO SPIN FIBERS OF SILK PROTEINS - STRUCTURE-PROPERTY CORRELATIONS

Citation
O. Liivak et al., A MICROFABRICATED WET-SPINNING APPARATUS TO SPIN FIBERS OF SILK PROTEINS - STRUCTURE-PROPERTY CORRELATIONS, Macromolecules, 31(9), 1998, pp. 2947-2951
Citations number
10
Categorie Soggetti
Polymer Sciences
Journal title
ISSN journal
00249297
Volume
31
Issue
9
Year of publication
1998
Pages
2947 - 2951
Database
ISI
SICI code
0024-9297(1998)31:9<2947:AMWATS>2.0.ZU;2-D
Abstract
A microfabricated spinneret is described that is capable of spinning m eters of fibers from solutions containing as little as 10 mg of purifi ed protein. Using the spinneret, regenerated Bombyx mori fibers were m ade using various processing parameters. A log-linear relationship was found between the maximum stress sustained by the regenerated fibers and their diameters. Solid state C-13 NMR was used to determine the ef fects of spinneret diameter and postspinning draw ratio on the seconda ry structure of the alanine residues in the silk protein. The relation ship between the secondary structure of the alanine residues and the m aximum stress of the silks was also examined. The results suggest that a relatively high fraction of the alanine residues in the silks must be in the beta-sheet conformation (>65%) in order to produce the highe st stress fibers. However, the fraction of alanine residues in the bet a-sheet conformation does not uniquely determine the maximum stress of a fiber; it is suggested that orientation of these beta-sheets is als o an important parameter.