Narrow Results

Bioinformatics in Communicable Diseases – The Way Forward.

Hitting the Bull's Eye with Biopharmaceuticals.

Silkworms Give Spider Silk New Spin.

ÄKTA Avant: Icon of Process Development.

JEM-2100 — The Nanoanalysis Expert.

CHINA – Cambrian "Walking Cactus" Found in China.

HONG KONG – HKU Identifies Early Target Cells of SARS.

TAIWAN – Silk Transistor Discovery.

THAILAND – Dengue Vaccine Breakthrough in Land of Smiles.

EUROPE – End to Yearly Flu Vaccines?

USA – Artificial Retina Breakthrough.

USA – Chemist Shortcuts Drug Processing.

USA – Exciting Potential in New HIV Gene Therapy.

USA – Gems Augment Chemotherapy.

USA – World's First Tissue-Engineered Urethras a Success.

USA – Cancer Drug May Save Preemies' Sight.

USA – Proteins Now for Biofuels, Biorefining.

OTHER REGIONS — Banana Peels Purify Water.

2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-Octafluoropentyl acrylate was grafted onto silk fiber in a two-step heterogeneous system through the vinyl bonds of acryloyloxyethyl isocyanate modified on the silk. The grafted copolymer was analyzed by FTIR and WAXD, and the results revealed that the fluoroacrylate was successfully grafted onto silk fiber and the crystalline structure of silk fibroin with β-sheet structure was not changed after graft copolymerization. The FT-IR corrected method was used to simulate the grafting yield onto silk compared with the weight increasing method. The results obtained from these two methods were roughly consistent. The influence of the initiator concentration, monomer concentration, react time and temperature on the graft yield was also investigated. The experimental data of thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) showed that the thermal stability of the modified silk fibers was improved due to the introduction of fluoroacrylate. In comparison with the untreated silk fibers, the water repellence of the modified silk fibers was also improved.

Dynamic drape is the unique property that allows the fabric to be bent in multiple directions. Silk fabric has good hand feeling and draping property. In this paper, we select 15 kinds of silk fabrics to measure its structural, mechanical and draping parameters for studying the impact factors of dynamic draping property about silk fabric. We make a correlation analysis with the measured fabric parameters then obtain the factors sequence that affects silk fabric's dynamic draping property. Experimental result shows that the draping property of silk fabric is affected by many performance parameters. In particular, the latitudinal tensile property has the greatest influence among all these parameters.

As a new type of dyeing-fixing agent, CN can be applied to silk fabric with satisfied anti-crease effect. Based on the multi-analysis of performance to fixing-agent CN and effect of anti-crease in silk fabric, the optimum parameters of CN application in silk fabric can be reached. The appropriate processing is as following: the optimum dosage of CN is 30g/L; the fabric is treated at 60°C for 30min. After drying, it is baked at 150°C for 3min. The dry crease recovery angle can be reached at grade 4 of treated silk crepe de Chine, and the wet crease recovery angle can be reached at grade 3. With the use of formaldehyde-free fixing agent CN, the anti-crease of silk fabric can be improved effectively with little influence on the shade.