Improvement of mechanical properties of silk fibroin membranes by addition of fibroin fibers and poly(sodium glutamate).

Abstract

The mechanical properties and the water content of silk fibroin membranes were improved by adding the optimum amounts of fibroin fibers and Poly (sodium glutamate) (PSG). The mixing was carried out in the regenerated fibroin solution. The water content of membrane increased with increasing the amount of PSG. The rupture strength decreased with increasing the water content, however, the relationship between the elongation at rupture and the water content showed the maximum for the PSG-added membrane and the membrane containing both PSG and fibroin fiber.