Researchers have found an eco-friendly approach that can eliminate the use of toxic chemicals in silk processing.
Traditionally, toxic chemicals like sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid and lithium bromide have been used to extract silk proteins, fibroin and sericin from various types of raw silk fibres, an important step in the process of making silk from cocoons.
A team at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, has identified Ionic Liquids (ILs) which can be sustainable alternatives to the toxic chemicals currently in use for the silk protein extraction process, according to a press release from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The team, led by Dr Kamatchi Sankaranarayan, has identified four such ILs. Published in Chemistry Select, this research has potential for use in sericin extraction from both mulberry (Bombyx mori) and non-mulberry silks, such as Muga (Antheraea assamensis) and Eri (Philosamia ricini), indigenous to North-east India. Not only does it offer environmentally friendly alternative to traditional chemical methods, it also paves the way for efficient sericin extraction from non-mulberry silks, potentially leading to new applications for these unique fibres.
The researchers explored six different ILs and found some of them were particularly effective in removing sericin without damaging the silk protein structure. The ones showing greatest promise included 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIM.Cl), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIM.BF4) and Tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB). TEAB appeared to be highly effective due to its ability to destabilise sericin proteins.
Tackling battery power fade problem with Omics
Researchers at the Lawrence-Berkeley National Lab, California, US, have discovered a way to tackle the ‘power fade’ problem in batteries. The “power fade problem” in batteries refers to the gradual decrease in the battery’s ability to deliver power over time. The degradation affects the performance and efficiency of batteries, particularly in applications requiring high power output — which is why you have to throw away batteries after about five years. The power fade occurs due to factors such as ageing of electrodes and decomposition of electrolytes.
The L-B scientists took to ‘omics’ to study the power fade problem. The ‘Omics technique’ refers to a suite of technologies used to explore the roles, relationships, and actions of the various types of molecules that make up the cells of an organism.
The scientists “wanted to see if we could use a similar approach to examine the chemical signatures of the battery’s components and identify the reactions contributing to power fade and where they were occurring.”
The researchers focused their analysis on lithium metal batteries with high-voltage, high-density layered oxides containing nickel, manganese and cobalt. Contrary to prior research, which has typically thought the power fade problem was from the battery’s anode, the team observed that power fade stems from the cathode side. This was where particles cracked and corroded over time, hindering charge movement and reducing battery efficiency. “It was a non-obvious outcome,” Youngmin Ko, a postdoc researcher, said in a press release “We found that mixing salts in the electrolyte could suppress the reactivity of typically reactive species, which formed a stabilising, corrosion-resistant coating.”