Scanning Electron Microscopic Study On The Cocoon Filaments And Degummed Fibers Of Two Silkmoth Hybrids Of Bombyx Mori Linn

Abstract

The cocoon filaments and degummed fibers of CSR2 x CSR4 (Bivoltine hybrid) and PM x CSR2 (Multivoltine x Bivoltine hybrid) of Bombyx mori were examined under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The degummed fibers obtained from the different methods used earlier, were under taken to study the characteristics of degummed fibers. The morphological study revealed that the diameter of the cocoon filament was 15 μm in diameter in PM x CSR2 hybrid and 12 μm in CSR2 x CSR4 hybrid, when studied at ultra structural level. In all the degummed process, the diameter of the degummed fiber of both the hybrids were 6 µm except soap soda degumming method, where the diameter of degummed fiber was measured 6.3 μm and the difference was due to the soap attachment to the degummed fiber. The degummed fibers were noticed intact in soap soda and 1% Na₂CO₃ methods.  However, in Gulrajani method, the fibers were noticed fibrillation of 1.2 µm diameter which may be due to the more time taken for degumming process.