Properties of cellulose/Antarctic krill protein composite fibers prepared in different coagulation baths

In this paper, cellulose/Antarctic krill protein composite fibers were obtained by wet spinning. The raw materials were recyclable cellulose (C) and Antarctic krill protein (AKP), while the solvent was an aqueous solution containing 7 wt% NaOH and 12 wt% urea, which is eco-friendly. The fiber was stretched in a coagulation bath containing H2SO4 and Na2SO4. The effects of coagulation at different bath concentrations on the mechanical performance, crystallinity, and morphology of the C/AKP composite fibers were studied systematically. The break strength firstly increased and then decreased with an increase in the concentration of the bath. At a coagulation bath concentration of H2SO2/Na2SO4 (12 wt%/12 wt%), the crystallinity was 15.16%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed the presence of grooves on the fiber surface. The type and percentage of hydrogen bonds in the C/AKP composite fibers were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). On the basis of the obtained results, we finally optimized the coagulation bath composition and concentration.