The application relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a natural fiber based staple fibers. The application further relates to the staple fibers, staple fiber based raw wool and products comprising such. A method comprises providing a cellulose suspension (101, 310, 510) including water, refined cellulose fibrils and at least one rheology modifier, directing the cellulose suspension through a nozzle (102, 320, 520) onto a surface (300, 400, 500), drying the cellulose suspension onto the surface (103, 300, 400, 500) for forming a fiber (350, 550), and cutting the cellulose suspension on the surface for forming staple fibers (105).

The application relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a natural fiber based staple fibers. The application further relates to the staple fibers, staple fiber based raw wool and products comprising such. A method comprises providing a cellulose suspension (101, 310, 510) including water, refined cellulose fibrils and at least one rheology modifier, directing the cellulose suspension through a nozzle (102, 320, 520) onto a surface (300, 400, 500), drying the cellulose suspension onto the surface (103, 300, 400, 500) for forming a fiber (350, 550), and cutting the cellulose suspension on the surface for forming staple fibers (105).

The present disclosure is directed to new materials, to processes, products, and apparatus for controlling the production of new materials with enhanced properties. Processing, including layering, Nano-infusion, and other methods for combining spider silk proteins with ceramics, metals, graphene, and/or other stiff materials is now feasible using current technologies to provide new materials and/or products with enhanced and controlled properties. Products may be fabricated to control the flexibility of ceramics, metals, graphene, or other materials to specifications not previously attainable based on the presence of proteins, such as man-made spider silk proteins or webbing. Nanoparticles of one or more types of materials and spider silk proteins or webbing, such as nanoparticles of Barium Titanium Oxide (BaTiO.sub.3), aluminum, titanium, graphene, steel, and compounds that include proteins may be combined to create new materials and products via processes that may include heating and/or pressurization at conditions that do not degrade the proteins.

The present disclosure is directed to new materials, to processes, products, and apparatus for controlling the production of new materials with enhanced properties. Processing, including layering, Nano-infusion, and other methods for combining spider silk proteins with ceramics, metals, graphene, and/or other stiff materials is now feasible using current technologies to provide new materials and/or products with enhanced and controlled properties. Products may be fabricated to control the flexibility of ceramics, metals, graphene, or other materials to specifications not previously attainable based on the presence of proteins, such as man-made spider silk proteins or webbing. Nanoparticles of one or more types of materials and spider silk proteins or webbing, such as nanoparticles of Barium Titanium Oxide (BaTiO.sub.3), aluminum, titanium, graphene, steel, and compounds that include proteins may be combined to create new materials and products via processes that may include heating and/or pressurization at conditions that do not degrade the proteins.

This present disclosure provides methods for utilizing such forces in when generating nanofibrillar constructs with engineered morphology from the nano- to macro-scales. Using for example, a biopolymer silk fibroin as a base material, patterns an intermediate hydrogel were generated within a deformable mold. Subsequently, mechanical tension was introduced via either hydrogel contraction or mold deformation, and finally a material is reentrapped in this transformed shape via beta-sheet crystallization and critical point drying. Topdown engineered anchorages, cables, and shapes act in concert to mediate precision changes in nanofiber alignment/orientation and a macroscale form of provided nanofibrillar structure. An ability of this technique to engineer large gradients of nano- and micro-scale order, manipulate mechanical properties (such as plasticity and thermal transport), and the in-situ generation of 2D and 3D, multi-tiered and doped, nanofibrillar constructs was demonstrated.

This present disclosure provides methods for utilizing such forces in when generating nanofibrillar constructs with engineered morphology from the nano- to macro-scales. Using for example, a biopolymer silk fibroin as a base material, patterns an intermediate hydrogel were generated within a deformable mold. Subsequently, mechanical tension was introduced via either hydrogel contraction or mold deformation, and finally a material is reentrapped in this transformed shape via beta-sheet crystallization and critical point drying. Topdown engineered anchorages, cables, and shapes act in concert to mediate precision changes in nanofiber alignment/orientation and a macroscale form of provided nanofibrillar structure. An ability of this technique to engineer large gradients of nano- and micro-scale order, manipulate mechanical properties (such as plasticity and thermal transport), and the in-situ generation of 2D and 3D, multi-tiered and doped, nanofibrillar constructs was demonstrated.

A method for preparing a skin regeneration scaffold is disclosed. The method may include preparing a polymer solution by dissolving a biopolymer in a solvent, and subjecting the polymer solution to a template-assisted extrusion process with a nanoporous material as a template in order to produce polymer nanofibers. Furthermore, the method includes fabricating a multilayer composite nanofibrous scaffold using the polymer nanofibers. The composite nanofibrous scaffold may be seeded with cells. In some cases, the cells may be selected from autologous cells, allogeneic cells, or combinations thereof.

A method for preparing a skin regeneration scaffold is disclosed. The method may include preparing a polymer solution by dissolving a biopolymer in a solvent, and subjecting the polymer solution to a template-assisted extrusion process with a nanoporous material as a template in order to produce polymer nanofibers. Furthermore, the method includes fabricating a multilayer composite nanofibrous scaffold using the polymer nanofibers. The composite nanofibrous scaffold may be seeded with cells. In some cases, the cells may be selected from autologous cells, allogeneic cells, or combinations thereof.

According to one embodiment, a fiber sheet includes a plurality of fibers. The plurality of fibers are in a closely-adhered state.

All of the following (1) to (3) are satisfied, where F1 is a tensile strength in a first direction, and F2 is a tensile strength in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction: (1) F2>F1; (2) F1 is 1 MPa or more; and (3) F2/F1 is 2 or more.

A biodegradable hydrogel has been made based on high concentrations of whey protein isolate (WPI). WPI gels of different compositions were fabricated by thermally inducing gelation of high-concentration suspensions of protein, and characterized for compressive strength and modulus, hydration swelling and drying properties, mechanical behavior change due to polysaccharide additives, and intrinsic pore network structure. The gels were shown to be compatible with bone cells and could be used as bone tissue scaffolds. In addition, WPI fibers were produced by electrospinning. Several additives could be incorporated into the WPI gels, including structural additives, growth factors, amino acids, etc. The WPI hydrogels can be made with glycerol to increase flexibility and stability. The hydrogels could be used for tissue regeneration, food protection, controlled-release applications (including drug encapsulation, dietary supplement release, attractant release in lures, nutrient release to plants (fertilizers), column packing for compound separation, and membrane development.