Document Type

Article

Version Deposited

Published Version

Publication Date

6-2022

Publication Title

Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications

DOI

10.1016/j.carpta.2022.100193

Abstract

This work reports how to tune the semi-crystallinity of a blended microcrystalline cellulose/silk-fibroin biocomposite using ionic liquids and various coagulation agents. The morphological and thermal properties of a blended 1:1 polymeric system are studied as a function of polymer fabrication parameters. Ionic liquids, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate verses 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, are used as competing solvent types and six hydrogen peroxide solutions (1—25%) plus water are used as varying coagulation agents. Analysis of the results demonstrate that solvent anion type, Ac− verses Cl−, affects protein secondary structure formation, and that solvent anion type and the concentration of hydrogen peroxide changes morphology and thermal stability of the regenerated materials. Polymers dissolved in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate are less thermally stable than those dissolved in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride. Furthermore, carbohydrate microcrystal size is positively correlated to hydrogen peroxide concentration upon fabrication and is calculated to have either a gradual or step transition increase in microcrystal size depending upon the solvent's anion type.

Comments

Open Access under the Creative Commons Non-Commercial NoDerivatives license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Included in

Physics Commons

Share

COinS