The present invention provides for concentrated aqueous silk fibroin solutions and an all-aqueous mode for preparation of concentrated aqueous fibroin solutions that avoids the use of organic solvents, direct additives, or harsh chemicals. The invention further provides for the use of these solutions in production of materials, e.g., fibers, films, foams, meshes, scaffolds and hydrogels.

Concentrated aqueous silk fibroin solution and use thereof

Silk polymer-based adenosine release: therapeutic potential for epilepsy

The present invention relates to the processes of preparing silkfibroin/polyethylene oxide blended materials, and the resulting materials thereof, which are suitable for biomedical applications such as wound healing. In particular, the electrospun silk fibroin/PEO mats with a silk:PEO blend ratio of 2:1 to 4:1, treated with controlled evaporation, constraint-drying techniques, and/or alcohol treatment, and/or PEO extraction, demonstrate suitable physical and biofunctional properties, such as fiber structure, topography, absorption, water vapor transmission rates, oxygen permeation, and biodegradability, relevant to biomaterial systems with utility for wound dressings.

Electrospun silk material systems for wound healing

The present invention provides processes for producing porous silk fibroin scaffold material. The porous silk fibroin scaffold can be used for tissue engineering. The porosity of the silk fibroin scaffolds described herein can be adjusted as to mimic the gradient of densities found in natural tissue. Accordingly, methods for engineering of 3-dimensional tissue, e.g. bone and cartilage, using the silk fibroin scaffold material are also provided.

Silk fibroin materials and use thereof

This invention provides for a process of rapidly forming silk fibroin gelation through ultrasonication. Under the appropriate conditions, gelation can be controlled to occur within two hours after the ultrasonication treatment. Biological materials, including viable cells, or therapeutic agents can be encapsulated in the hydrogels formed from the process and be used as delivery vehicles.

Method for silk fibroin gelation using sonication

PURPOSE: To simply produce the subject aqueous solution without containing any microgelled part therein at a high efficiency by feeding a stock solution prepared by dissolving silk fibroin in an aqueous solution of a salt to a dialyzer, applying a pressure to the stock solution in a dialytic membrane, causing a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the dialytic membrane and desalting and dialyzing the stock solution. CONSTITUTION: A raw silk waste freed of a gluey protein sericin and oils by degumming is dissolved in a 40wt.% aqueous solution of calcium chloride and ethyl alcohol using a kneader under heating at 50°C to prepare a stock solution comprising the silk fibroin solution. The resultant stock solution is then fed to a hollow fiber type dialyzer formed of a hollow fiber type membrane made of Cuprophane (R) as a material and a pressure is applied to the stock solution so as to provide a discharge flow rate of the aqueous solution of the silk fibroin from the dialyzer of 0.5-1.5 times based on the flow rate of the stock solution to the dialyzer. Thereby, a pressure difference is caused between the inside and the outside of the dialytic membrane to desalt and dialyze the stock solution. Thereby, the objective aqueous solution of the silk fibroin at a high concentration useful for fibers and fiber processing, cosmetics, materials for medical uses, other immobilized membranes for biosensors, etc., is efficiently obtained. COPYRIGHT: (C)1996,JPO

Production of aqueous solution of silk fibroin at high concentration

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To produce a modified Tencel(R) raw stock having high pill resistance and excellent peach-skin processability in a compatible manner and capable of, especially, performing spinning to obtain excellent yarn quality under ordinary spinning conditions, without using a rubbing-beating process which usually has troubles of unevenness in the points of productivity and cloth strength, etc. SOLUTION: In a modification process of Tencel(R) fiber and its fiber structure, especially raw stock using cellulase, the amount of an anionic surfactant attached on the fiber is reduced to 0.05wt.% or bellow by washing with hot water in advance, and a linear velocity of a liquid flow of cellulase processing is controlled at ≤5m/sec. These enable the cellulase processing at extremely mild conditions with total enzyme potencies of ≤25000 unit, so that a single-fiber strength variation is suppressed to a narrow range of ≤10% at the average single fiber strength of 3.0-4.3g/d. Further, the combination of the cross-linking modification using a glycidyl compound with the above process enables the production of a Tencel(R) fiber having high pill resistance and excellent peach-skin processability in a compatible manner and especially the production of a Tencel(R) raw stock having excellent spinnability. COPYRIGHT: (C)1997,JPO

Solvent-spun cellulose fiber excellent in pill resistance and peach-skin processability, its fiber structure and its production

PURPOSE:To readily obtain silk fibroin-graft polymer-processed fabric having silk luster, handle, washing resistance, repulsion and water vapor absorption by forming a coating film comprising a specific amount of silk fibroin-graft polymer on the surface of a fiber. CONSTITUTION:An aqueous solution of silk fibroin is blended with a bifunctional monomer of formula I [R is directly bonded group of formula II, formula III, formula IV or CnH2n (n is 1-6); z is H or CH3; a and b are numbers to make a+b 0-50; x and y are numbers to make x+y 0-30 with the proviso that a+b+x+y>=10), a monomer containing OH, COOH, NH2, sulfo group or phosphate group [e.g. (meth)acrylic acid] and a monomer containing an aziridine group or a polyfunctional compound containing two or more aziridine groups to give a treating solution, Fabric of natural fiber or synthetic fiber is immersed in the treating solution, graft polymerization is carried out on the fabric to attach 0.1-5% owf silk fibroin and 0.2-10% pwf coating film comprising the silk fibroin-graft polymer to the fabric. The prepared fabric has luster and water vapor absorption close to those of silk and shows scroop feellng of characteristic silk.

Silk fibroin-graft polymer-processed fabric and its production

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a solvent-spun cellulose fiber having a good antipilling property and a practical strength by washing a solvent-spun cellulose fiber with hot water so that the residual amount of an anionic or cationic surfactant used as a spinning oiling agent is a specific value or smaller, and subsequently treating the washed fiber with a cellulase, or to obtain a structural product of the cellulose fiber. SOLUTION: Before processed with a cellulase, the raw fibers, slivers, spun yarns or knit fabric of solvent-spun cellulose fibers, Tencel (R), are washed with hot water so that the residual adherent amount of an anionic or cationic surfactant adhered to the fibers as an oiling agent is reduced to <=0.05wt.%, preferably <=0.025wt.%, and subsequently treated with a cellulase processing solution having a whole enzymatic titer of <=15000 units, while the maximum flow linear rate of the processing solution is controlled with agitation to a <=5m/sec. Thus, the antipilling cellulose fibers having an average single filament strength of <=3.5g/d and a single filament strength variation rate of <=10% are obtained. Woven or knit fabric produced from the fibers exhibits an antipilling property (JIS L-1076) of the fourth grade or higher by a domestic washing method.

Solvent-spun antipilling cellulosic fiber, its fiber structure and its production

PURPOSE: To provide a cosmetic base consisting of a silk fibroin composite pigment occluding a mucopolysaccharide having high moisture-retaining performance and free from dissolution of the mucopolysaccharide even under a hot and humid condition and to provide a process for producing the cosmetic base on an industrial scale at a low cost. CONSTITUTION: This silk fibroin composite pigment is characterized in that the mucopolysaccharide and silk fibroin together form a eutectic mixture to impart the mucopolysaccharide with moderate water-resistance while keeping the high moisture-retaining function and the silk fibroin is insoluble in hot water β-type). This process for the production of the composite pigment comprises the freeze-drying of an aqueous solution of a mixture of silk fibroin and mucopolysaccharide or a mixed dispersion prepared by adding a base pigment to the solution and the wet-heat treatment of the obtained eutectic mixture. COPYRIGHT: (C)1995,JPO

清音居

Papers

Production of aqueous solution of silk fibroin at high concentration

Solvent-spun cellulose fiber excellent in pill resistance and peach-skin processability, its fiber structure and its production

Silk fibroin-graft polymer-processed fabric and its production

Solvent-spun antipilling cellulosic fiber, its fiber structure and its production

Silk fibroin-mucopolysaccharide composite pigment and its production

清 音居

Papers

Production of aqueous solution of silk fibroin at high concentration

Solvent-spun cellulose fiber excellent in pill resistance and peach-skin processability, its fiber structure and its production

Silk fibroin-graft polymer-processed fabric and its production

Solvent-spun antipilling cellulosic fiber, its fiber structure and its production

Silk fibroin-mucopolysaccharide composite pigment and its production

清音居