new material

[Grapes]

I am developing a composite that will utilize silk as the reinforcing component within a thermoset plastic and am trying to find information that will help me decide whether or not degradation of the protein strand is going to be a long term factor in the finished product. Chemistry is not my field and any help would be muchly appreciated.<br>
Grapes

 

[omg]

Dear Greg,
I am not shure that you would actualy be making a composite type material as the two conponants are not dissimilar enough.
The long term problem you are concerned about should not be a problem as the &quot;chemistry&quot; will be finished shortly after the product is made.
A good source for information in this area is a book by the O.U. Materials in action series &quot;Stuctural Materials&quot; by Butterworths, Borough Green, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 8PH, England.

 

Interesting. First, I believe a more appropriate term might be &quot;hybrid material&quot; (same reasoning as Greg).

Second, (I am assumeing that the silk will melt, though please correct me if this is a misassumption) are you concerned with the temperature sensitivity of silk in the process, or is it your intention that the melted silk will better fuse and integrate w/the thermoset?

Thanks,

Joe

 

[ssmurthy]

well, the approach sounds more like an attempt to make a biodegradable hybrid. Moisture would definitely penetrate through the resin and together with the ionics that may be present in the resin, long term ageing is definitely a concern as is with the natural fibre reinforced composites.

good luck

/SS/