Preparation and characterization of silk fibroin and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(D,L-lactide) nanocomposite films

Abstract

Nanocomposite films of silk fibroin (SF) and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(D,L-lactide)
(MPEG-b-PDLL) were prepared by film casting of MPEG-b-PDLL nanoparticle suspension-SF aqueous
solution. The nanoparticles were prepared in SF solution by modified-spontaneous emulsification solvent
diffusion method without any surfactant. The interaction between SF and MPEG-b-PDLL films was studied
by FT-IR spectroscopy. SEM results indicated that the nanoparticle sizes in films were in the range of
100 – 300 nm with spherical shape. Nanoporous with pore size in the range of 10-300 nm were observed
throughout the nanocomposite films. The number and size of nanoporous increased when the MPEG-b-PDLL
ratio was increased.