—
Silk Fibroin
Glass Transition (Tg)
~178 °C
Melting Point (Tm)
— (decomposes)
Density
1.30–1.35 g/cm³
CAS Number
9007-76-5
Recycling Code
None
Category
Natural
Repeat Unit
–[NH–CH₂–CO–NH–CH(CH₃)–CO]ₙ–
The repeating unit is the smallest structural fragment whose repetition builds the whole chain. Subscripts show the relative share of each unit in copolymers.
Key Properties
β-sheet crystalline domains give a toughness exceeding Kevlar on a specific basis; tunable degradation; excellent biocompatibility.
Applications
Sutures, tissue scaffolds, transient bioelectronics, optics.