Massive production of fibroin nano-fibrous biomaterial by turbulent co-flow
Abstract Among the different polymers (proteins, polysaccharides, etc.) that make up natural fibers, fibroin is a protein produced by silk spinning animals, which have developed an optimized system for the conversion of a highly concentrated solution of this protein into high-performance solid fiber...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2022-12-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26137-7 |
| _version_ | 1797977419285528576 |
|---|---|
| author | Alfonso M. Gañán-Calvo Sergio Blanco-Trejo Miguel Ruiz-López Gustavo V. Guinea Luis B. Modesto-López José Pérez-Rigueiro |
| author_facet | Alfonso M. Gañán-Calvo Sergio Blanco-Trejo Miguel Ruiz-López Gustavo V. Guinea Luis B. Modesto-López José Pérez-Rigueiro |
| author_sort | Alfonso M. Gañán-Calvo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Among the different polymers (proteins, polysaccharides, etc.) that make up natural fibers, fibroin is a protein produced by silk spinning animals, which have developed an optimized system for the conversion of a highly concentrated solution of this protein into high-performance solid fibers. This protein undergoes a self-assembly process in the silk glands that result from chemical gradients and by the application of mechanical stresses during the last step of the process. In the quest for a process that could mimic natural spinning at massive scales, we have discovered that turbulence offers a novel and promising solution: a turbulent liquid jet can be formed by a chemically green and simple coagulating liquid (a diluted solution of acetic acid in etanol) co-flowing with a concentrated solution of fibroin in water by the use of a Flow Blurring nebulizer. In this system, (a) the co-flowing coagulant liquid extracts water from the original protein solution and, simultaneously, (b) the self-assembled proteins are subjected to mechanical actions, including splitting and stretching. Given the non-negligible produced content with the size and appearance of natural silk, the stochastic distribution of those effects in our process should contain the range of natural ones found in animals. The resulting easily functionalizable and tunable one-step material is 100% biocompatible, and our method a perfect candidate to large-scale, low-cost, green and sustainable processing of fibroin for fibres and textiles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:07:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9464c7f71f8843dd8c6332e841b875fc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:07:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-9464c7f71f8843dd8c6332e841b875fc2022-12-25T12:16:27ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-12-0112111010.1038/s41598-022-26137-7Massive production of fibroin nano-fibrous biomaterial by turbulent co-flowAlfonso M. Gañán-Calvo0Sergio Blanco-Trejo1Miguel Ruiz-López2Gustavo V. Guinea3Luis B. Modesto-López4José Pérez-Rigueiro5Departmento de Ingeniería Aeroespacial y Mecánica de Fluidos, ETSI, Universidad de SevillaDepartmento de Ingeniería Aeroespacial y Mecánica de Fluidos, ETSI, Universidad de SevillaDepartmento de Ingeniería Aeroespacial y Mecánica de Fluidos, ETSI, Universidad de SevillaCentro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de MadridDepartmento de Ingeniería Aeroespacial y Mecánica de Fluidos, ETSI, Universidad de SevillaCentro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de MadridAbstract Among the different polymers (proteins, polysaccharides, etc.) that make up natural fibers, fibroin is a protein produced by silk spinning animals, which have developed an optimized system for the conversion of a highly concentrated solution of this protein into high-performance solid fibers. This protein undergoes a self-assembly process in the silk glands that result from chemical gradients and by the application of mechanical stresses during the last step of the process. In the quest for a process that could mimic natural spinning at massive scales, we have discovered that turbulence offers a novel and promising solution: a turbulent liquid jet can be formed by a chemically green and simple coagulating liquid (a diluted solution of acetic acid in etanol) co-flowing with a concentrated solution of fibroin in water by the use of a Flow Blurring nebulizer. In this system, (a) the co-flowing coagulant liquid extracts water from the original protein solution and, simultaneously, (b) the self-assembled proteins are subjected to mechanical actions, including splitting and stretching. Given the non-negligible produced content with the size and appearance of natural silk, the stochastic distribution of those effects in our process should contain the range of natural ones found in animals. The resulting easily functionalizable and tunable one-step material is 100% biocompatible, and our method a perfect candidate to large-scale, low-cost, green and sustainable processing of fibroin for fibres and textiles.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26137-7 |
| spellingShingle | Alfonso M. Gañán-Calvo Sergio Blanco-Trejo Miguel Ruiz-López Gustavo V. Guinea Luis B. Modesto-López José Pérez-Rigueiro Massive production of fibroin nano-fibrous biomaterial by turbulent co-flow Scientific Reports |
| title | Massive production of fibroin nano-fibrous biomaterial by turbulent co-flow |
| title_full | Massive production of fibroin nano-fibrous biomaterial by turbulent co-flow |
| title_fullStr | Massive production of fibroin nano-fibrous biomaterial by turbulent co-flow |
| title_full_unstemmed | Massive production of fibroin nano-fibrous biomaterial by turbulent co-flow |
| title_short | Massive production of fibroin nano-fibrous biomaterial by turbulent co-flow |
| title_sort | massive production of fibroin nano fibrous biomaterial by turbulent co flow |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26137-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alfonsomganancalvo massiveproductionoffibroinnanofibrousbiomaterialbyturbulentcoflow AT sergioblancotrejo massiveproductionoffibroinnanofibrousbiomaterialbyturbulentcoflow AT miguelruizlopez massiveproductionoffibroinnanofibrousbiomaterialbyturbulentcoflow AT gustavovguinea massiveproductionoffibroinnanofibrousbiomaterialbyturbulentcoflow AT luisbmodestolopez massiveproductionoffibroinnanofibrousbiomaterialbyturbulentcoflow AT joseperezrigueiro massiveproductionoffibroinnanofibrousbiomaterialbyturbulentcoflow |