Silk Degumming with Dried Latex of Carica Papaya Linn

Abstract

Degumming process is a fundamental finishing process for silk yarn and silk fabric. The main objective is scouring the substrate such as silk gum (sericin), wax and some impurities from silk fiber. The principle of degumming process is breaking the peptide linkage of amino acid in sericin structure into a small molecule, which is soluble in water. The hydrolysis reaction performed by acid and alkaline, but they have a big problem on the surface area of silk. Proteolytic enzyme be used to solve this problem but it has some disvantages such as it was using a specific condition and expensive. For this reason, this research chooses papain enzyme form dried latex of Carica payapa Linn. to degum the raw silk. The efficiency of degumming process was evaluated by determination of tensile strength and staining test with direct dyes (C.I. Direct Red 80). The result was revealed; the appropriate conditions for silk degumming with dried Carica payapa Linn.’s latex be recommended as follows: the amount of dried latex solution of 4 % owf at 75 degree Celsius for 30 minutes, in this condition was not harm to strength and fiber surface. The degummed fibers still had lustrous, soft and smooth surface.