Preparation and Characterization of Sericin/PVA Blend Fibers Using Recovered Sericin

Abstract

Sericin/PVA blend fibers were prepared using sericin that had been recovered during conventional degumming. Pure recovered sericin (RS) fibers could not be formed because of their low molecular weights. By blending the RS with PVA, it could be spun into fibers. A maximum draw ratio of 7.5 was achieved when the PVA/RS blend ratio was 80:20. The morphologies of the PVA/RS fibers were equivalent to those of the blend fibers prepared with hot-water extracted sericin (HS). The elongations at failure and Young's moduli of the PVA/RS and PVA/HS blend fibers were not significantly different. However, the ultimate strengths of the PVA/RS blend fibers were lower than those of the PVA/HS blend fibers. XRD data revealed that the crystallinities of the blend fibers decreased in the presence of RS.