Nanofibers of Silk Fibroin Controlled by the Crystallization of Polyethylene Glycol in Frozen Solution

【摘要】 The conformation of silk fibroin(SF) frozen with polyethylene glycol(PEG) at a molecular weight from 2kDa to 20kDa and a mass ratio of PEG:SF from 1:5 to 10:1 was studied by spectral and microscopic methods. It is found that the conformation transition of SF from random coil to b-sheet could be induced by the stress resulting from PEG crystallization at-20 °C, and greatly depended on the cooling rate, PEG:SF mass ratio and PEG molecular weight. These findings provide a new method for the preparation of desired SF nanofibers.更多还原

【Abstract】 The conformation of silk fibroin(SF) frozen with polyethylene glycol(PEG) at a molecular weight from 2kDa to 20kDa and a mass ratio of PEG:SF from 1:5 to 10:1 was studied by spectral and microscopic methods. It is found that the conformation transition of SF from random coil to b-sheet could be induced by the stress resulting from PEG crystallization at-20 °C, and greatly depended on the cooling rate, PEG:SF mass ratio and PEG molecular weight. These findings provide a new method for the preparation of desired SF nanofibers.更多还原