1976 Volume 33 Issue 8 Pages 453-462
To make clear the conformation of fibroin in the liquid silk (silk gel, water content 75-77%) of the matured silkworm (Bombyx mori), the liquid silk was pressed (pressing velocity 0.5-500 mm/min) and then dried at room temperature. In case of pressing velocity 0.5 mm/min, the conformation of the silk fibroin continuously changed into α-form→amorphous→β-form with increasing pressing ratio. The β-form was obtained by press deformation of liquid silk. On the α-form and amorphous, the conformational change was investigated from the drying process of various relative humidity. It is confirmed that the conformation of fibroin in the liquid silk is random coil. There is random coil→α-form transition in the region of water content 20-70%. In the drying process, occurrence of this transition depends on the time for passing in the region of water content 70-70%.
