Preparation of Alginate-fibroin Beads with Diverse Structures

Alginate bead has been supplemented with various polymers to control permeability and to enhance mechanical strength. In this report, fibroin-reinforced alginate hydrogel was prepared, in which spatial localization of fibroin molecules was investigated. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that fibroin molecules formed a fibrous network in the alginate-fibroin beads, which was expected to enhance mechanical strength as same as in many composite materials. Uniaxial compression test showed that fibroin-reinforced alginate beads had increased mechanical strength only after methanol treatment that caused ${\beta}$-sheet formation among fibroin molecules. Simultaneous curing and dialysis of alginate beads were carried out to remove excesscalcium but to retain fibroin in the dialysis chamber, which fabricated beads without internal fibrous fluorescent stains. Fibroin molecules were only found beneath the surface of the beads. The fibroin-diffused shell was further processed to form a thick wall after drying or was mobilizedto the centre of the bead by methanol treatment. Accordingly, the structure analyses provide processing methods of fibroin to form a wall or center clumps, which could be applied to design controlled delivery device.

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