title: Fabrication and Optimization of Stable, Optically Transparent, and Reusable pH-Responsive Silk Membranes.
abstract: The fabrication of silk-based membranes that are stable, optically transparent and reusable is yet to be achieved. To address this bottleneck we have developed a method to produce transparent chromogenic silk patches that are optically responsive to pH. The patches were produced by blending regenerated silk fibroin (RSF), Laponite RD (nano clay) and the organic dyes neutral red and Thionine acetate. The Laponite RD played a central role in the patch mechanical integrity and prevention of dye leaching. The process was optimized using a factorial design to maximize the patch response to pH by UV absorbance and fluorescence emission. New patches of the optimized protocol, made from solutions containing 125 μM neutral red or 250 μM of Thionine and 15 mg/mL silk, were further tested for operational stability over several cycles of pH altering. Stability, performance, and reusability were achieved over the tested cycles. The approach could be extended to other reporting molecules or enzymes able to bind to Laponite.
authors.affiliation: Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Chemical Center, Lund University, 22241 Lund, Sweden. andreas.toytziaridis.999@student.lu.se.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toytziaridis
authors.affiliation: Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Chemical Center, Lund University, 22241 Lund, Sweden. cedric.dicko@tbiokem.lth.se.
authors.forename: Cedric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dicko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008027:Light; D009499:Neutral Red / Q000737:chemistry*; D010640:Phenothiazines / Q000737:chemistry*; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D017640:Silicates / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D010640:Phenothiazines; D017640:Silicates; D009499:Neutral Red; D005349:Fibroins; C524813:laponite; C009469:thionine
keywords: Laponite; chromogenic; membrane; neutral red; pH-responsive; silk patch; thionine