Impregnation of fabric for advanced mechanical, transport, and functional properties
OwnerFiorenzo G. Omenetto, Elisabetta Ruggeriinventors
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Abstract
A method includes a) impregnating a woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric with a silk fibroin solution. A method includes b) curing the silk fibroin solution, thereby forming the cured silk polymer matrix having the woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric embedded therein. The fiber-reinforced polymer composite includes the cured polymer matrix in an amount by weight that is at least 25%, at least 50%, at least 75%, or at least 100% of the woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric. The cured polymer matrix comprises silk fibroin in an amount by weight of at least 10%.
Claims25
A method of making a fiber-reinforced polymer composite comprising a cured silk polymer matrix having a woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric embedded therein, the method comprising:
- a) impregnating a woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric with a silk fibroin solution;
- b) curing the silk fibroin solution, thereby forming the cured silk polymer matrix having the woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric embedded therein,
- wherein the fiber-reinforced polymer composite comprises the cured silk polymer matrix in an amount by weight that is at least 25%, at least 50%, at least 75%, or at least 100% of the woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric,
- wherein the cured silk polymer matrix comprises silk fibroin in an amount by weight of at least 10%.
A method of making a fiber-reinforced silk polymer composite comprising a cured silk polymer matrix impregnating a woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric substrate, the method comprising:
- a) impregnating the woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric substrate with a silk fibroin solution, the woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric substrate having a native porosity of at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, or at least 90%;
- b) curing the silk fibroin solution, thereby forming the cured silk polymer matrix within pores of the woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric substrate and producing the fiber-reinforced silk polymer composite,
- wherein the fiber-reinforced silk polymer composite has a composite porosity that is at least 50% less than the native porosity of the woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric substrate,
- wherein the cured silk polymer matrix comprises silk fibroin in an amount by weight of at least 10%.
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A fiber-reinforced silk polymer composite comprising:
- a woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric substrate having a native porosity of at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, or at least 90%;
- a cured silk polymer matrix impregnating the woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric substrate,
- wherein the cured silk polymer matrix comprises silk fibroin in an amount by weight of at least 10%,
- wherein the fiber-reinforced silk polymer composite has a composite porosity that is at least 50% less than the native porosity of the woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric substrate.
20-23.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.