西亚试剂：Demineralization enables reeling of Wild Silkmoth cocoons

Demineralization enables reeling of Wild Silkmoth cocoons

Tom Gheysens , Andrew Collins , Suresh Kumar Raina , Fritz Vollrath , and David P. Knight

Wild Silkmoth cocoons are difficult or impossible to reel under conditions that work well for cocoons of the Mulberry silkmoth, Bombyx mori. Here we report evidence that this is caused by mineral reinforcement of wild silkmoth cocoons and that washing these minerals out allows for the reeling of commercial lengths of good quality fibers with implications for the development of the ‘wild silk’ industry. We show that in the Lasiocampid silkmoth Gonometa postica, the mineral is whewellite (calcium oxalate monohydrate). Evidence is presented that its selective removal by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) leaves the gum substantially intact preventing collapse and entanglement of the network of fibroin brins, enabling wet reeling. Therefore this method clearly differs from the standard “degumming” and should be referred to as “demineralizing”. Mechanical testing shows that such preparation results in reeled silks with markedly improved breaking load and extension to break by avoiding the damage produced b...