3-D mass density imaging reveals the interaction of water with nanopores in silk fibres

Nanopores in silk fibres influence the physical properties. For silk-based tissue engineering applications, it was unclear if the fibre pores acted as water reservoirs when the silk became wet. The question is also important for using silk for organic electronics in textiles. 3D images of the interior of the silk fibre in dry and wet conditions revealed that the fibre swells anisotropically, and water molecules interacted with the silk protein directly rather than filling up the nanopores.

References

Ptychographic x-ray tomography of silk fiber hydration
Esmaeili M, Fløystad JB, Diaz A, Høydalsvik K, Guizar-Sicairos M, Andreasen JW, Breiby DW
Macromolecules. 2013;46:434.
https://doi.org/10.1021/ma3021163