Preparation of micro-porous fibroin membrane by emulsion method

Abstract

This research aims to provide a method for preparing micro-porous fibroin membrane by using emulsion method developed and to study the properties of the micro-porous fibroin membranes. Colloidal solution of ethyl acetate in medium phase of water and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) emulsifier was used in this research. The membranes
preparation were carried out by using the fraction () of [oil]/[SDS] in the range of 10-50 and stabilized by using the 4% PEGDE (polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether) crosslinking agent or 95% ethanol solution treatment and the followed by oven drying or freeze-drying. From the results, it found that the fibroin colloid solution used short times
for gelation than fibroin solution in fibroin membrane preparation. The fraction of colloid solution using  equal 30 was suitable for porous fibroin membrane preparation as possible. By the way, the freeze-drying provided more micro-porous level structure exhibited in the membrane more than oven drying. The fibroin membrane which stabilized by PEGDE adding has less water solubility than the fibroin membrane which stabilized by EtOH treatment
and the fibroin membrane without treatment, respectively. This was affected by the conformation changing of the secondary structure of fibroin membrane from the Silk I (random coil and α helix) to the Silk II (β-sheet plate). In addition, the preparation of fibroin membrane by emulsion method with PEGDE agent adding made the membrane
soft and flexible than the others methods.