Fabrication and properties of poly(butylene succinate) biocomposites reinforced by waste silkworm silk fabric

Increasing attention has been attracted on biodegradable and eco-friendly biocomposites. In this paper, biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) biocomposites reinforced by spun silkworm silk fabric were fabricated using the hot-press technique, and their mechanical properties were studied by uniaxial tension and three-point bending tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations. The results demonstrated that the tensile, flexural, and dynamic mechanical properties of PBS biocomposites are pronouncedly improved with the increase in the silk fiber content. There exists an optimal value of the fiber content, ∼60 wt%, which leads to the comprehensively superior properties. We also found that spun silk fabric showed a remarkable reinforcing effect on the mechanical properties of PBS biocomposites, though surface treatment had not been performed to the silk. This study is valuable for design of silk-based biodegradable biocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties.