Fibers from soybean protein and poly(vinyl alcohol)

Abstract

Bicomponent fibers were wet-spun from soybean protein and poly (vinyl alcohol). The protein core of the spun bicomponent fiber was brittle and showed a high frequency of core breakage upon drawing. Our effort was then to study the soybean protein solution, with the aim of trying to understand the cause for fiber brittleness and to determine the optimum solution conditions for fiber spinning. The effects of alkali, urea, and sodium sulfite on the viscosity of the soybean protein solution were examined. The hydrolytic stability of the soybean protein solution was examined at various pH values at two temperatures (room temperature and 60°C). Both the viscosity and gel electrophoresis were used for this purpose. The degradation of the soybean protein and the existing microgels in the protein spinning solution were thought to be the causes for the poor fiber drawability. Extent of protein denaturation will also effect the fiber drawability.

Novel Protein Fibers from Wheat Gluten

“…Although soyprotein-and zein-based fibers with strength and breaking elongations similar to those of wool have been reported during the 1940s, neither the soyprotein nor the zein fibers with properties reported during the 1940s have been produced lately. 12,[15][16][17][18][19]33 The Young's modulus and moisture regain of wheat gluten fibers are similar to those of wool, and, therefore, products made from wheat gluten fibers should be soft and flexible as wool if similar denier fibers are used. No reports are available on the modulus of 100% soyprotein and zein fibers.…”

Soybean Fibre: A Novel Fibre in the Textile Industry

“…Xanthate was suggested to react with amino groups forming carbaminodithio groups (-NHCSSH) that prevent the gelation of the protein and improve its elasticity (Zhang et al 1999). However, Motonaga et al (1965) have also used sodium sulphite to break disulphide bonds in soybean, Zhang et al (1999) also utilised sodium sulphite to cleave disulphide bonds in order to denature the protein in the spinning of fibres from soybean protein and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). However, little change was observed in the viscosity of the spinning solution.…”

“…However, lately, due to economic and environmental issues, soybean fibres are considered a competitive material in the textile industry. Zhang et al (1999) used polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in order to improve the drawability of soybean fibres. PVA is a synthetic polymer with high tensile strength and modulus (Sakurada, 1985), and has been used as reinforcement in keratin fibres (Katoh et al, 2004).…”

Soybean Protein Fibres (SPF)

“…PVA fibres are produced in similar conditions as phytoprotein fibres. Zhang (Zhang et al, 1999) experimented with bicomponent fibres from soybean protein and PVA. Fibres with a side-by-side configuration were not successful because of splitting of the components.…”

“…The next experiment of spinning sheathcore bicomponent fibres, with PVA component in the sheath and soybean proteins in the core, showed brittle core that couldn't be drawn. "The degradation of the soybean protein and the existing microgels in the protein spinning solution were thought to be the causes for the poor fibre drawability" (Zhang et al, 1999). After ten years of intensive researches the Chinese scientists with Guanqi Li succeeded in producing high-tenacity soybean protein fibres from soybean protein and polyvinyl alcohol (Li, 2007).…”