“Our country is a major silk producer. Every year, more than 63,100 tons of silk scraps are produced by silk reeling, silk weaving, clothing and other enterprises, including waste silk, waste silk and clothing scraps. However, our country has always been very concerned about the recycling and comprehensive utilization of these resources. R&D efforts are insufficient and a large amount of high-quality natural protein resources are wasted, which seriously restricts the development of this field,” said Hou Aiqin, a professor at Donghua University who is the leader in the extraction and modification of waste silk protein.
It is understood that the technologies related to biohydrolysis, chemical and physical modification of silk proteins and their comprehensive utilization developed by this team are of great significance. Silk is composed of 18 kinds of amino acids. After hydrolysis, it forms a variety of amino acids and oligopeptides, which have unique moisturizing and health care functions. Textiles containing silk protein have good gloss, skin-friendly and antistatic functions, which greatly improves the use of textiles. performance and added value.
Hydrolysis and purification first
To realize the efficient utilization of waste silk protein, we must first hydrolyze it to obtain nano-silk fibroin peptides. The innovation of the “Extraction, Modification, Deep Processing and Comprehensive Utilization Technology of Silk Protein” project is to obtain nano-silk fibroin peptides through biological enzyme hydrolysis. “Our project team first conducted comparative tests on various protease species to select Alcalase enzymes and Flavourzyme enzymes with high hydrolysis efficiency. Through studies on the industrial applicability of primary enzymatic hydrolysis, compound enzymatic hydrolysis and secondary enzymatic hydrolysis, we determined the enzyme Industrial biohydrolysis technology can produce silk protein products for various purposes, which can be used in food, cosmetics, clothing and other fields,” said Hou Aiqin.
After obtaining the silk peptide, it still needs to be modified to broaden its use and efficacy. The team led by Hou Aiqin chemically modified the silk protein by introducing active groups, that is, under appropriate reaction conditions, it is trichlorotris Azine reacts with silk peptides of a certain molecular weight to obtain a silk protein solution containing the active group dichlorotriazine. The modified silk protein gives the silk protein reactivity through the synthesis of cross-linkable reactive nano POSS structural compounds.
Improve taking functionality
The modified silk protein also needs to be improved through sol and gel finishing technology to improve its taking performance. According to reports, under certain conditions, the team used cage-structured silsesquioxane as a special nanomaterial precursor with a nanometer-sized structure. The organic functional groups contained in the POSS structure make it compatible with polymers and organic monomers. The body has good compatibility in the size of the nanostructure. Using POSS-NH2 as the raw material, a hydroxymethyl active group is introduced into the corner tail group of POSS-NH2 to obtain a hydroxymethyl cross-linkable structure with multiple reaction centers. Based on POSS derivatives, the final functionalization of silk protein is the preparation of POSS structure sol, and using POSS-H as a cross-linking agent to perform a cross-linking reaction with the modified silk fibroin to produce a silk protein solution with POSS structure. Functionalization of silk proteins.
“Sol and gel finishing technology can improve the wearing performance of silk protein. We use sol and gel finishing technology to arrange functionalized silk protein onto polyester fabrics or cotton fabrics, and interact with hydroxyl groups on cotton fibers through active groups. The combined reaction can improve the content and fastness performance of functionalized silk protein on cotton fabrics, and obtain various silk protein functionalized composite fabric products,” said Hou Aiqin.
Polyester is the main product among chemical fiber products. Its output accounts for about 60% of the “five large fibers” and is widely used in clothing, with approximately tens of billions of meters produced every year. However, polyester clothes are very crisp and stylish to wear, but because their surface is not hydrophilic and their moisture permeability is very poor, people will not feel as comfortable as silk when wearing them. Through sol and gel finishing technology, polyester fabrics also contain many health-care functions of silk protein. If this composite fabric is successfully industrialized, it will effectively increase the added value of polyester products.
The extraction, modification and deep processing technology of waste silk protein uses reeling, small corners of silk and waste to recycle, develop, comprehensively utilize and other related technologies to develop various silk protein products and high-end fabrics containing silk protein, making them skin-friendly It has excellent characteristics such as sex, high hygroscopicity, and antistatic properties, and actively promotes the recycling and comprehensive utilization of textile materials.
Extended reading: https://www.yingjietex.com/product/1200D-Polyester -OXFORD-Fabric.html
Extended reading: https://www. yingjietex.com/product/DE-29-Memory-Fabric.html
Extended reading: https://www.yingjietex.com/product/Mic-fiber-pongee-with-Calender-Fabric.html
Extended reading:https://www.yingjietex.com/product/Soft-Shell-Lamination-fabric.html
Extended reading ：https://www.yingjietex.com/product/1600D-Polyester-DOBBY -YARN-OXFORD-Fabric.htm
