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Silk Fibroin Waveguides: Biocompatible Silk Printed Optical Waveguides (Adv. Mater. 23/2009)
Author(s) -
Parker Sara T.,
Domachuk Peter,
Amsden Jason,
Bressner Jason,
Lewis Jennifer A.,
Kaplan David L.,
Omenetto Fiorenzo G.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.200990086
Subject(s) - fibroin , silk , materials science , supercontinuum , biocompatible material , sericin , white light , optical fiber , fiber , polymer science , composite material , optoelectronics , optics , photonic crystal fiber , biomedical engineering , medicine , physics
The cover shows an artistic rendition that merges silk and fiber optics. Supercontinuum white light is guided through a glass optical fiber that surrounds and illuminates silkworm cocoons. The silkworm cocoons shown here are used as the starting point of an extraction process to isolate pure silk fibroin protein in an aqueous solution. The silk is then reconstituted in the form of optical waveguides, as described by Fiorenzo Omenetto and co‐workers on p. 2411 , opening new opportunities to guide light in an entirely organic and biocompatible material.