Regensburg 2002 – scientific programme

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SYBM: Physik biologischer Materie

SYBM 401: Physics of biological matter: Poster

SYBM 401.38: Poster

Tuesday, March 12, 2002, 18:00–19:30, H37

Polymorphic Structures of Bombyx mori Silk Fibroin: A Study of the Transformation Behavior — •Wolfgang Manglkammer and Jan K. Krüger — Universität des Saarlandes, FR 7.2 Experimentalphysik, Geb.38, 2.OG, Postfach 151150, D-66041 Saarbrücken

Remarkable mechanical and other physical properties of silk fibroin, which are comparable to those of synthetic fibres, originate from polymorphism and related phase transitions of the protein’s secondary structure.

High frequency elastic and heat capacity properties of different types of samples of Bombyx mori silk fibroin were investigated by Brillouin spectroscopy and Temperature Modulated DSC respectively: single naturally spun fibres and films of regenerated silk fibroin.

A softening of the elastic modulus as well as an anomaly of the heat capacity of silk fibroin will be demonstrated and discussed. The findings will be interpreted in terms of conformational transitions of the polypeptide chain.

In addition to the cast samples we have prepared highly oriented films using the so-called PIA (PTFE Induced Alignement) technique. The properties of the cast samples will be compared with those obtained for the PIA-fibroin films.