Time–Temperature Superposition of the Dissolution of Silk Fibers in the Ionic Liquid 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium Acetate

This study investigated the dissolution of silk multifilament fibres in ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate. The process was found to create a composite fibre, comprising undissolved multi-filaments surrounded by coagulated matrix. procedure carried out for range temperatures and times. resulting were studied using combination optical microscopy, wide angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) tensile testing. An azimuthal (alpha) XRD scan enabled orientation filaments be quantified through 2nd Legendre Polynomial function (P2). P2 results could shifted construct single master curve time-temperature superposition (TTS). shifting factors have an Arrhenius behaviour with activation energy 138 ± 13 kJ/mol. Using simple rule mixtures measurements used calculate dissolved matrix volume fraction (Vm), which also displayed TTS forming 139 15 kJ/ mol. Young’s Modulus each filament measured these similarly formed 116 12