Impregnation of silk sericin into polyester fibers using supercritical carbon dioxide

Silk sericin was impregnated into polyester fabric using supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) to overcome polyester hydrophobicity. The effects of sericin molecular weight, pH of sericin, solution and cosolvent types on sericin impregnation were investigated. Enzyme-hydrolyzed, acid-, based-hydrolyzed sericin in SCCO2, and a 30 kDa sericin in SCCO2 modified with cosolvents such as water, methanol, 1-propanol, and acetone; and a modifier: sodium hydroxide solution were used in this work. Impregnation of sericin in polyester was indicated by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR) and dyeing with acid dye. Degradation of polyester fibers during SCCO2 process was indicated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Methylene blue dyeing was used to realize carboxyl group in polyester. The results showed no impregnation of sericin into polyester by using SCCO2 modified with cosolvents. However, sericin was impregnated into modified surface polyester since hydrophilic groups such as carboxyl and hydroxyl groups were regenerated by alkaline hydrolysis. Samples impregnated with hydrolyzed sericin showed high color strength of Supranolechtbordeaux B acid dye. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.