Facile Fabrication of Silk Fibroin/Konjac Glucomannan Composite Membranes

Abstract

Silk fibroin (SF)-based biocomposites have attracted considerable attention for several decades, due to excellent biocompatibility and mechanical toughness. However, insufficient hydrophilicity and mechanical brittleness limit its practical application, especially in tissue engineering. In this study, by blending konjac glucomannan (KGM) with SF, along with the water-insoluble treatment of ethanol and ammonia, SF/KGM composite membranes were generated with good flexibility and water adsorption capacity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that KGM/SF membrane surfaces were uniform and dense. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the silk II structure was dominant. Contact angle and mechanical testing showed that the use of KGM with SF in membranes helped to form more flexible and hydrophilic membranes for potential use in biomaterials and devices.