Citation
Plaza Baonza, Gustavo Ramón and Corsini, Paola and Marsano, Enrico and Pérez Rigueiro, José and Elices Calafat, Manuel and Riekel, Christian and Vendrely, Charlotte and Guinea Tortuero, Gustavo V.
(2012).
Correlation Between Processing Conditions, Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior in Regenerated Silkworm Silk Fibers.
"Journal of Applied Polymer Science, B : Polymer Physics", v. 50
(n. 7);
pp. 455-465.
ISSN 0887-6266.
https://doi.org/10.1002/polb.23025.
Abstract
Regenerated silkworm fibers spun through a wet-spinning process followed by an immersion postspinning drawing step show a work to fracture comparable with that of natural silkworm silk fibers in a wide range of spinning conditions. The mechanical behavior and microstructure of these high performance fibers have been characterized, and compared with those fibers produced through conventional spinning conditions. The comparison reveals that both sets of fibers share a common semicrystalline microstructure, but significant differences are apparent in the amorphous region. Besides, high performance fibers show a ground state and the possibility of tuning their tensile behavior. These properties are characteristic of spider silk and not of natural silkworm silk, despite both regenerated and natural silkworm silk share a common composition different from that of spider silk.
