Silk leather and related materials, and methods of making and using the same
OwnerMarco Lo Presti, Barbara Pollini +1inventors
InventorsMarco Lo Presti, Barbara Pollini, Fiorenzo G. Omenetto
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Abstract
A host of new silk material formats are disclosed, all prepared from an initial liquid composition including both silk fibroin and xanthan gum. In some cases, particularly preferred material properties are achieved by the addition of glycerol. These various formats include liquids, whipped silk creams, silk meringues, and compressed/heat-compressed meringues. Among the useful end-uses for these materials is a silk leather, which mimics the feel of conventional leather. Other uses include thermal insulation, absorption/gas sensing, biological scaffolding, and the like. A material that has material properties unexpectedly similar to mycelium is also disclosed.
Claims26
-335. (canceled)
A compressed or hot pressed silk meringue comprising silk fibroin, a polysaccharide, and a plasticizer.
(canceled)
A method of making a composition, the method comprising whipping a liquid composition comprising silk fibroin, a polysaccharide, and a plasticizer for a predetermined whipping time to form a whipped silk cream;
- baking the whipped silk cream at a temperature of between 30° C. and 150° C. for a length of time of between 5 minutes and 24 hours to form a silk meringue;
- and
- compressing the silk meringue with a force of between 0.25 MPa and 25 MPa for a length of time of between 5 minutes and 6 hours to form a compressed silk meringue.
339-340. (canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
351-369. (canceled)
A method of making a whipped silk cream having a desired whipped silk cream morphology, a silk meringue having a desired silk meringue morphology, a compressed silk meringue having a desired compressed silk meringue morphology, or a hot-pressed silk meringue having a desired hot-pressed silk meringue morphology, the method comprising:
- selecting a silk concentration, a silk molecular weight distribution, a polysaccharide species, a polysaccharide concentration, a plasticizer species, a plasticizer concentration, a whipping speed, optionally a silk meringue baking temperature, optionally a compressed silk meringue compressing force, optionally a hot-pressed silk meringue hot-pressing force and temperature;
- and
- making the whipped silk cream, the silk meringue, the compressed silk meringue, or the hot-pressed silk meringue using the silk concentration, the silk molecular weight distribution, the polysaccharide species, the polysaccharide concentration, the plasticizer species, the plasticizer concentration, the whipping speed, optionally the silk meringue baking temperature, optionally the compressed silk meringue compressing force, and optionally the hot-pressed silk meringue hot-pressing force and temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.