Structural determination of protein-based polymer blends with a promising tool: combination of FTIR and STXM spectroscopic imaging

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) spectroscopic imaging techniques are introduced to determine the structure of protein-based polymer blends, using the silk fibroin/polyethylene oxide (SF/PEO) blend as a model material. We demonstrate that FTIR and STXM imaging techniques provide complementary chemical sensitivities, resolution ranges and sample thickness requirements that can enable a greater understanding of SF/PEO blend films. From the FTIR images, we find that SF shows random coil and/or helical conformation in the SF-rich domains, and beta-sheet conformation in the PEO-rich matrix. In the meantime, the SF content in SF-rich domains is 74 +/- 4%, and 38 +/- 6% in the PEO-rich matrix from the STXM images. These findings support and give further evidence to the conclusions of the previous studies on SF/PEO blends in the literature. Our results strongly suggest that FTIR and STXM imaging techniques are two promising complementary approaches for the study of phase behaviour and molecular conformation in protein-based polymer blend materials.