Popis: |
The crystal structure, thermal properties and growth rates of spherulites of the Tussah silk fibroin, produced upon drying of the silk taken directly from the lumen which is essentially a poly(L-alanine)polypeptide, are investigated. Depending on casting conditions, spherulites with either αhelical chain conformation or β parallel sheet structure are produced. The growth rates display a strong positive temperature coefficient, with an apparent transition, which however cannot be related with the formation of two different crystal structures at this stage. |