Surface modification of textile material through deposition of regenerated silk fibroin

Regeneration of silk fibroin from calcium chloride/ethanol/water solution is of high interest to shape biomaterial based products for medical and technical application. In this study a continuous process for surface modification of cellulose or polyamide fibers by regenerated fibroin deposits has been investigated. The decomposition of the fibroin-calcium complex was initiated by addition of K2CO3 followed by a methanol rinse. Reactive Blue 19 labeled fibroin was used to monitor the deposition of fibroin on the substrates by colour measurement. The fibroin deposits on the fabric were characterized by microscopy, N-content, calcium, and protein content. Stiffness and surface resistivity of modified fabrics were determined as representative physical parameters. The reduced mobility of fibers increased fabric stiffness. Surface resistivity of treated samples was reduced by a factor of 10 to 100, which gives an example for the potential of the technique as coating for man-made fiber textiles. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45098.