Processing trends of silk fibers: Silk degumming, regeneration and physical functionalization
Shivani Rastogi, Balasubramanian Kandasubramanian
Abstract
The silk fibroin (SF) covers numerous applications in various fields. The fibroins can be extracted by multiple degumming methods. The degumming loss associated with soap, alkali, acid, enzyme and amine degumming is ∼18.73%, ∼24.32%, ∼23.21%, ∼25.7%, and ∼26.08%, respectively. Recently emerged degumming methods include SAEW, microwave, CO2 supercritical fluid and ultrasonication degumming with the loss of ∼41.24%, ∼25.7, ∼98% and ∼22%, respectively. The regenerated degummed silk fibroins can be physically functionalized via UV irradiation, plasma treatment, gas treatment, lithography and sputtering. This review describes various silk degumming techniques, SF physical functionalization, along with their impact on silk fibroin properties.