We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Facile Exfoliation of Silk Nanofibrils Enabled by Hydrogen Bond Network Reconfiguration in Deep Eutectic Solvent/Water Systems
AI summary Read the abstract
Hydrogen bonding interactions were exploited to enable easy exfoliation of silk nanofibrils from silk fibers, producing nanoscale filaments with useful functional properties. Silk-derived nanomaterials offer biodegradable alternatives to synthetic nanoplastics for various applications.
Silk nanofibers (SNFs) with distinctive physicochemical properties are promising nanoscale building blocks of porous materials, yet high-yield exfoliation using green solvents remains challenging. Herein, hydrogen-bonding small molecules (water, methanol, and ethanol) were introduced into deep eutectic solvents (DESs) to reconfigure hydrogen-bond networks and promote exfoliation. Among them, DES/water mixtures proved most effective: adding 30 wt % water reduced average SNF diameter from 239 ± 184 nm to 109 ± 27 nm and delivered a yield of 98.3% within 24 h. The improvement is attributed to hydrogen-bond reorganization, decreased viscosity, and enhanced proton transfer. The resulting SNFs preserved silk's hierarchical structures and were assembled into flexible membranes with a tensile strength of 34 MPa. These porous membranes effectively removed microplastics, with rejection rates above 91% through combined size exclusion and adsorption. This work demonstrates DES/water mixtures as sustainable solvent systems for scalable SNF production and the fabrication of high-performance membranes for water purification.
More Papers Like This
Facile Exfoliationof Silk Nanofibrils Enabled byHydrogen Bond Network Reconfiguration in Deep Eutectic Solvent/WaterSystems
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a sustainable method for exfoliating silk nanofibrils using deep eutectic solvent-water mixtures, finding that adding 30 wt% water reduced average fibril diameter from 239 nm to 109 nm and achieved 98.3% yield within 24 hours via hydrogen bond reorganisation and decreased viscosity. The resulting flexible porous membranes demonstrated 34 MPa tensile strength and removed microplastics with rejection rates above 91% through combined size exclusion and adsorption mechanisms.
Integration of Water-Mediated H-Bonds-Domestication and Optical Skin-Transparency Strategy for Microplastics-Free Bio-based Materials Revolution
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a transparent bio-based plastic substitute derived from natural animal skin through hydrogen-bond domestication and collagen fiber alignment, producing a material that is biodegradable, mechanically robust, and capable of adsorbing and removing microplastics throughout its lifecycle. Replacing conventional petroleum-based plastics with materials that do not shed microplastic particles addresses pollution at the source, and this material's MP-adsorption capacity offers an additional remediation benefit.
Microencapsulation of High‐Content Actives Using Biodegradable Silk Materials
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed biodegradable silk fibroin microcapsules capable of encapsulating high concentrations of active ingredients through controlled protein assembly, offering a scalable alternative to conventional non-degradable plastic microbeads used in cosmetics and consumer care products.
Tailored Cationic Visible-Light-Active Interfaces for Sustainable, Biodegradable Nanofibers With Dual-Mode Antimicrobial Activity and Robust Electrostatic Particle Capture.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers coated biodegradable silk nanofibers with antimicrobial and charged chemical compounds, aiming to replace plastic-based protective equipment that creates microplastic waste. In lab tests, the treated fibers killed bacteria and viruses, captured tiny particles effectively, and still broke down largely when exposed to enzymes or soil.
Tuning the Physical Properties of Carboxylated Cellulose Nanocrystal (cCNC) Microspheres by Hybridizing with Silk Fibroin (SF)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed hybrid microspheres combining carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals with silk fibroin protein, finding that a small addition of silk fibroin dramatically increased hydrophobicity and improved mechanical properties. The material could serve as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based microplastic microspheres in cosmetics and drug delivery applications.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.