Manufacturing Method for Protein Crimped Staple

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for efficiently manufacturing a protein crimped staple from protein filaments at a low cost. A manufacturing method for a protein crimped staple according to the present invention includes: a) preparing an artificial fibroin filament containing a modified fibroin; b) cutting the artificial fibroin filament to obtain an artificial fibroin staple; and c) performing crimping by bringing the artificial fibroin filament into contact with an aqueous medium to crimp the artificial fibroin filament before the cutting or bringing the artificial fibroin staple into contact with an aqueous medium to crimp the artificial fibroin staple after the cutting.

1 . A manufacturing method for a protein crimped staple, comprising:
 a) preparing an artificial fibroin filament containing a modified fibroin;   b) cutting the artificial fibroin filament to obtain an artificial fibroin staple; and   c) performing crimping by bringing the artificial fibroin filament into contact with an aqueous medium to crimp the artificial fibroin filament before the cutting or bringing the artificial fibroin staple into contact with an aqueous medium to crimp the artificial fibroin staple after the cutting.   
     
     
         2 . The manufacturing method for a protein crimped staple according to  claim 1 , wherein a shrinkage rate after drying of the artificial fibroin filament defined by the following expression is more than 7%,
   shrinkage rate after drying={1−(length of artificial fibroin filament after being brought into contact with aqueous medium and subsequently dried/length of artificial fibroin filament before being brought into contact with aqueous medium)}×100 (%).
   
     
     
         3 . The manufacturing method for a protein crimped staple according to  claim 1 , wherein a shrinkage rate when wetted of the artificial fibroin filament defined by the following expression is 2% or more,
   shrinkage rate when wetted={1−(length of artificial fibroin filament when wetted by being brought into contact with aqueous medium/length of artificial fibroin filament after being spun and before being brought into contact with aqueous medium)}×100 (%).
   
     
     
         4 . The manufacturing method for a protein crimped staple according to  claim 1 , wherein the modified fibroin is a modified spider silk fibroin, and the artificial fibroin filament is an artificial spider silk fibroin filament. 
     
     
         5 . The manufacturing method for a protein crimped staple according to  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous medium used in the performing crimping is a liquid or gas containing water and having a temperature of 10° C. to 230° C. 
     
     
         6 . The manufacturing method for a protein crimped staple according to  claim 1 , wherein the performing crimping further includes performing drying after the bringing the artificial fibroin filament or the artificial fibroin staple into contact with the aqueous medium. 
     
     
         7 . The manufacturing method for a protein crimped staple according to  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous medium used in the performing crimping contains a volatile solvent.