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Papain Enzymatic Degumming of Thai Bombyx Mori Silk Fibers
Papain Enzymatic Degumming of Thai Bombyx Mori Silk Fibers
Abstract
Thai Bombi mori silk fibers were degummed with a papain enzyme derived from local papyrus latex and
compared with a traditional alkali/soap method. The efficiency of degumming processes was assessed using
percent weight loss, tensile strength and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements, color staining
testing and dyeability with a natural lac dye. The percents weight loss of papain enzymatic and alkali/soap
degummed fibers were not significantly different, i.e., 20-22%. The decreases in tensile strength were 46%,
40.2% and 28% for silk fiber degummed with 5% owf papain enzyme at high temperature (65-70 C for 1 h),
alkali/soap and 10% owf papain enzyme at room temperature for 24 h, respectively. The surface morphological
of the degummed fibers by SEM analysis confirmed the removal of sericin from silk fibroin. Higher color yields
(K/S values) were obtained in case of lac dyeing of silk fibers degummed with papain enzyme with having fair
to good color fastness to washing and light.
Background
Thai Bombyx mori silk, produced by cultivated
mulberry silkworm, is greatly appreciated as one of
the most luxurious textile commodities. Known for
its unique characteristics such as luster and
softness, the production of Thai Bombyx mori silk
consists of silkworm raising, cocoon production,
silk reeling, degumming, dyeing, weaving, and
finishing products [1]. Degumming is the process
where sericin, i.e., the silk gum gluing the fibroin
filaments, is totally removed in order to obtain a
typical shiny, soft handle and other desirable
properties [2]. Due to its highly oriented and
crystalline structure, fibroin is not water soluble,
whereas sericin is easily dissolved in a boiling
aqueous solution with the presence of soap, alkali,
organic acid or synthetic detergents. Nowadays,
batch degumming of silk is mostly carried out in an
alkaline bath with pH about 10 containing 10-20
g/L soap at 92-98 C for 2-4 h [2-3]. During highly
hot alkaline silk degumming, hydrolytic
degradation of fibers is accompanied, leading to
undesirable both aesthetic and physical properties
such as dull appearance, surface fibrillation and
tensile strength loss. Thus, synthetic detergents
may be used to replace soaps in case of reduced
treatment time and less fiber damage are needed.
Furthermore, enzymatic treatment of silk is
currently gained large attention as an alternative for
degumming process owing to its ecologically safe
and required milder conditions [4-6]. Proteases and
lipases are normally used in combination for
degumming and removing others impurities such as
waxes, fats, mineral salts and pigments [2-3].
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(1)
Degumming
Methods
Weight
loss (%)
Breaking
load (N)
Staining
Test
Raw silk
8.0540
Dark red
4.8190
Pale pink
4.3475
Pale pink
5.7632
Pale pink
Alkaline
21.94
/Soap1
Papain
20.60
5 %owf 2
Papain
20.80
10 %owf 3
1
90-95 C, 45 min
2
65-70 C, 1 h
3
room temperature, 24 h
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(a)
(c)
(b)
(d)
Fig. 1 SEM images of the silk fiber surface before and after degumming: (a) before degumming, (b) after degumming
with alkai/soap, (c) after degumming with 5%owf papain enzyme at 65-70 C for 1 h, (d) after degumming with
10%owf papain enzyme at room temperature for 24 h.
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Table 2 Color strength (K/S values), CIELAB L*a*b* values and color fastness of degummed silk fibers dyed with a
natural lac dye
Degumming
methods
Dyed
samples
CIELAB
K/S
Color fastness
L*
a*
b*
Washing
Light
Alkaline
/Soap
6.17
44.65
38.78
1.39
Papain
5 %owf
8.72
37.28
35.29
0.64
2-3
2-3
Papain
10 %owf
9.78
35.86
34.23
1.34
2-3
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the Support
Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand
(SACICT) for financial support throughout this
work.
References
1. EU-Thailand Small Projects Facility on
Industry Structure: Value Chain Analysis for
Thai Home Textiles: Silk Sub-sector Chiang
Mai, Thailand 2007.
2. Fredddi G, Mossotti R, Innocenti R.
Degumming of silk fabric with several
proteases. J. Biotech. 2003, 106: 101-112.
3. Sonthisombat A, Speakman PT. Silk : The
Concise Story. Rajamangala University of
Technology Thanyaburi 2004.
4. Gulrajani ML, Gupta SV, Gupta A, Suri M.
Degumming of silk with different protease
enzymes. Indian J. Fibre Textile Res. 1996,
21: 270-275.
5. Gulrajani ML, Agarwal R, Grover A, Suri M.
Degumming of silk with lipase and protease.
Indian J. Fibre Textile Res. 2000, 25: 69-74.
Conclusion
By comparing Thai Bombyx mori silk fibers
degummed with papain enzyme and alkaline/soap
the former exhibited less tensile strength drop and
gave higher color depth after natural lac dyeing,
especially when degumming occurred at room
temperature condition. However, percent weight
loss of all degumming processes was within the
same range. SEM technique could be utilized to
verify the amount of remaining sericin after
degumming. As future work, dyeing with other
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