Simple and green process for silk fibroin production by water degumming

Abstract

Silk fibroin (SF), a natural polymer with very desirable physicochemical and biological properties, is an ideal material for crafting biocompatible scaffolds in tissue engineering. However, conventional methods for removing the sericin layer and dissolving SF often involve environmentally harmful reagents and processes, requiring extensive dialysis procedures to purify the fibers produced. Such processes may also damage the surface and bulk properties of the SF produced. Here, we report a simple, green water degumming method, in which almost complete sericin removal of 30% by weight is achieved in 6 h in boiling water. The SF produced is easily dissolved in formic acid/orthophosphoric acid (90/10, 85/15, and 70/30) mixtures, eliminating the need for salts like LiBr and CaCl2 followed by dialysis and freeze-drying, thus simplifying the process significantly. Additionally, our findings demonstrate significantly enhanced cell viability in electrospun poly(lactic acid)/SF blends. Overall, SF production via water degumming offers an eco-friendly pathway for generating bioactive scaffolds in tissue engineering applications.