Flow-induced crystallisation of polymers from aqueous solution.

ABSTRACT: Synthetic polymers are thoroughly embedded in the modern society and their consumption grows annually. Efficient routes to their production and processing have never been more important. In this respect, silk protein fibrillation is superior to conventional polymer processing, not only by achieving outstanding physical properties of materials, such as high tensile strength and toughness, but also improved process energy efficiency. Natural silk solidifies in response to flow of the liquid using conformation-dependent intermolecular interactions to desolvate (denature) protein chains. This mechanism is reproduced here by an aqueous poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) solution, which solidifies at ambient conditions when subjected to flow. The transition requires that an energy threshold is exceeded

SUBMITTER: Dunderdale GJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7338548 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature