Sericin

Description

A viscous, water-soluble, protein covering the surface of Raw silk fibers. Sericin adheres the fibrous fibers together in the cocoon. It is partially to completely removed in the manufacture of fabric.

• Raw silk contains 20-30% sericin
• Hard (ecru) silk contains 24-26% sericin
• Souple silk contains 17-18% sericin
• Soft silk contains < 5% sericin

In recent years, sericin has been used as an adhesive in Asian paper and textile conservation.

Synonyms and Related Terms

silk gum; silk glue; seracin (sp)

Physical and Chemical Properties

Soluble in water.

Resources and Citations

• E.Hansen, H.Sobel, "Effect of the Environment on the Degradation of Silk: A Review" in The Textile Specialty Group Postprints, AIC, Buffalo, p.114-130, 1992.

• M.Brooks, S.O'Conner, J.McDonnell "The Application of Low-energy X-radiography in the Examination and Investigation of Degraded Historic Silk Textiles" ICOM Preprints, Edinburgh, Vol. II, p.670-79, 1996.

• Hai-Yen Hua-Ströfer and Yun Tsong Liou, "Die Entwicklung der Seidengewinnung und die Anwendung des Nebenproduktes Sericin als Klebemittel in der Restaurierung" at www.hua-stroefer.de

• Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Dictionary of Fiber & Textile Technology (older version called Man-made Fiber and Textile Dictionary, 1965), Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Charlotte NC, 1990

• Rosalie Rosso King, Textile Identification, Conservation, and Preservation, Noyes Publications, Park Ridge, NJ, 1985

• Hai-Yen Hua-Ströfer and Yun Tsong Liou, "Die Entwicklung der Seidengewinnung und die Anwendung des Nebenproduktes Sericin als Klebemittel in der Restaurierung" at www.hua-stroefer.de (submitted by K von Lerber, 7/29/05)

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997