Effect of wet treatment on the structure of various silkworm strain cocoons with different rearing seasons

초록

In this study, cocoons from different silkworm strains and rearing seasons were collected and immersed in water at elevated temperatures to investigate the effect of a wet treatment on their morphology and crystallinity. Untreated cocoons exhibited different crystallinities depending on the silkworm strain and rearing season; however, no distinct changes in their morphological structure were observed. Furthermore, after wet treatment, the differences in the crystallinities of cocoons disappeared. In addition, wet treatment of degummed silk (i.e., fibroin) did not change its crystallinity. These results indicate that different crystallinities of the untreated cocoons collected from various silkworm strains and rearing seasons are due to the different characteristics of sericin in the cocoons.

키워드