Properties of cellulose/Antarctic krill protein composite fibers prepared in different coagulation baths

In this paper, cellulose/Antarctic krill protein composite fibers were obtained by wet spinning. The raw materials were recyclable cellulose (C) and Antarctic krill protein (AKP), while the solvent was an aqueous solution containing 7wt% NaOH and 12wt% urea, which is eco-friendly. The fiber was stretched in a coagulation bath containing H₂SO₄ and Na₂SO₄. The effects of coagulation at different bath concentrations on the mechanical performance, crystallinity, and morphology of the C/AKP composite fibers were studied systematically. The break strength firstly increased and then decreased with an increase in the concentration of the bath. At a coagulation bath concentration of H₂SO₂/Na₂SO₄ (12wt%/12wt%), the crystallinity was 15.16%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed the presence of grooves on the fiber surface. The type and percentage of hydrogen bonds in the C/AKP composite fibers were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). On the basis of the obtained results, we finally optimized the coagulation bath composition and concentration.