Structure And Properties Of Silk Fibers Treated By Chitosan

The silk fiber is a kind of precious textile material, but it has many disadvantages: easily shrivel, change to yellow and weak resistibility distortion so on. The chitosan is a kind of resourceful biopolymer. It has special physical-chemistry property and physiological function. The chitosan is extensively used in textile field. Treating textile fibers and fabrics with chitosan is one of the hot subjects in the domain of textile. Firstly, the chitosan is oxidized and decomposed with the H2O2 method, and the products with different molecular weight are confected into different concentration solution. Secondly, the ordinary mulberry silk, slightly dissolved silk and calcium nitrate treated silk are modified by the chitosan solution and the treatment procedure of soaking-rolling-baking. Lastly, the samples are studied through SEM, DSC, IR spectrum, X radial diffraction. They also are analyzed in the mechanical properties including the breaking strength, extension, viscosity and elasticity etc. The variability rule of their morphology, aggregation structure and mechanical properties are explored. The results show that certain action of erosion and exfoliation, absorption and infiltration happended upon the silk fibers modifided by the chitosan .Its inner aggregation becomes more compact and has the trend of β-sheet. Its resistibility to erosion is improved and crystallinity decreased slightly. At the same time, the breaking strength and extension of the silk fibers also changed after the treatment, and the strain capability increased a little.