抄録
The modification of silk fiber by freezing-drying after immersion of silk fiber in water is a process of bulkiness modification, in which the volume expansion of water due to freezing was utilized.
In this paper we intended to elucidate the conditions for swelling and freeze-drying and to clarify the relation between the structure and the mechanical properties of silk fiber. The rapid freezing of silk fiber was required for the prevention of fiber degradation. From the morphological observation, silk fibers were expanded by freezing of water in the viods and crackes. Therefore, the bulkiness, softness and hygroscopic property of silk fiber were improved by the freeze-drying. The crystallinity was unchanged by the freeze-drying, however, the changes of microstructure related to the mechanical properties of silk fiber.
