The contraction and recovery behavior of collagen films cross-linked with formaldehyde was observed in aqueous LiBr solution and water. The main results are as follows.
1. Contraction ratio (
L/
Lo: length after contraction/original length) along the drawing direction of collagen when it is immersed in an aqueous 20 mol/L LiBr was greater than that along the perpendicular direction. The contraction ratio in the drawing direction was 0.73.
2. The time needed for the completion of contraction was usually longer than the time of recovery. When the collagen film was immersed in an aqueous LiBr solution, the contraction speed was initially large and then slowed down with time lapse. A similar attenuation was observed in the case of recovery.
3. When the collagen treated with a 5% formaldehyde solution was immersed in aqueous 15 mol/L LiBr solution, times needed for the contraction and the recovery was shortest, and the contraction and recovery ratios were largest.
4. The maximum number of cycles of contraction and recovery was more than 500 cycles.
5. Breaking stress of collagen immersed in water, aqueous 10 mol/L and 20 mol/L LiBr solutions was approximately one fourth of that of dry collagen. Breaking strain of the collagen immersed in water was smaller than any other cases.
6. When the load applied to the lower end of the collagen film increased, the contraction length decreased. The relation between load and contraction length was linear. Work done by contraction, load x contracted length, increased with increasing load.
抄録全体を表示