Extraction of liquid and powder fibroin from cocoon shell of silkworm (Bombyx mori Linn.)

Abstract

The silk fiber is a natural protein filament made-up of sericin and fibroin secreted by the silk gland of silkworm, Bombyx mori Linn. To make the silk fibre in liquid form and subsequently convert into powder form for biomedical use was the aim of the study. The degummed fiber of PM, CSR2, CSR4 breeds and PM x CSR2 and CSR2 x CSR4 hybrids of B. mori were dissolved in different ratios (1:6.6, 1:13.33, 1:20, 1:26.6, 1:33.33, 1:40, 1:46.66 and 1:53.33) in dissolving solutions I, II and III. The degummed fibers with dissolving solution were kept at 55 ºC temperature for dissolving the fibroin for 15 to 180 mins. The degummed fiber of all the breeds and hybrids completely dissolved in solution I at 55 ºC temperature for 1 hour in 1: 20 ratio.