The Preparation and Characterization of Silk/Gelatin Biocomposites

Abstract

There is a growing interest in the use of composite materials. Silk fiber/gelatin biocomposites were fabricated using compression molding. The fiber content in the composite varied from 10–30 wt%. Composite containing 30 wt% silk showed the best mechanical properties. Tensile strength, tensile modulus, bending strength, bending modulus and impact strength, hardness of the 30% silk content composites were found 54 MPa, 0.95 GPa, 75 MPa and 0.43 GPa and 5.4 kJ/m2, 95.5 Shore A, respectively. Water uptake properties at room temperature, accelerated weathering aging, irradiation, thermomechanical analysis, and degradation in soil were carried out in this experiment.