Journal article
Carbon nanotube reinforced Bombyx Mori nanofibers by the electrospinning process
Polymeric materials science and engineering, Vol.91(fall)
01 Oct 2004
Abstract
Silk, a protein-based polymer with good biocompatibility and unique structural properties has long been used as a suture and textile material. Bombyx mori silk fibers are 10-20 pm in diameter, triangularshaped in cross section and consist of thousands of parallel fibrils, which give them their grainy surfaces. Electrospinning is a unique method of producing fibers from both natural and synthetic sources with diameters ranging from 2 nm to several micrometers. Electrospinning regenerated silk fibroin, with sericin removed, produces fiber diameters as low as 7 nm with circular cross section, smooth surfaces and improved biocompatibility. However, the mechanical properties are not fully realized. The availability of carbon nanotubes provides attractive material design options to tailor the mechanical properties of protein-based fibers such as silk for various applications. Accordingly, by co-electrospinning CNT with silk fibers, a nanocomposite combining the bioactivity and structural reinforcement may be fabricated to yield multifunctional strong and tough fibers.
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Details
- Title
- Carbon nanotube reinforced Bombyx Mori nanofibers by the electrospinning process
- Creators
- Jonathan AyutsedeMilind GandhiSachiko SukigaraMike MicklusFrank Ko
- Publication Details
- Polymeric materials science and engineering, Vol.91(fall)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- [Retired Faculty]
- Identifiers
- 991019170590504721