US 12,390,555 B2
Silk fibroin biocompatible polyurethane membranes
Marcus Atlas, Subiaco (AU); Benjamin Allardyce, Ocean Grove (AU); Rodney Dilley, City Beach (AU); and Rangam Rajkhowa, Grovedale (AU)
Assigned to Ear Science Institute Australia Incorporated, Subiaco (AU)
Filed by Ear Science Institute Australia Incorporated, Subiaco (AU)
Filed on May 12, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/316,360.
Application 18/316,360 is a continuation of application No. 16/089,243, granted, now 11,684,695, previously published as PCT/AU2017/050335, filed on Apr. 13, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 2016901399 (AU), filed on Apr. 14, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0355839 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. A61L 27/22 (2006.01); A61F 2/18 (2006.01); A61L 27/26 (2006.01); A61L 27/36 (2006.01); A61L 27/44 (2006.01); A61L 27/54 (2006.01); C08L 75/04 (2006.01); C08L 89/04 (2006.01)
CPC A61L 27/3604 (2013.01) [A61F 2/18 (2013.01); A61L 27/225 (2013.01); A61L 27/26 (2013.01); A61L 27/44 (2013.01); A61L 27/54 (2013.01); C08L 75/04 (2013.01); C08L 89/04 (2013.01); A61F 2002/183 (2013.01); A61L 2300/40 (2013.01); A61L 2430/14 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
 
1. A method of making a blended silk fibroin polyurethane membrane matrix, the method consisting of the steps of:
a. dissolving dried, degummed silk fibers in a chaotropic salt or a chaotropic salt solution to form a silk fiber solution, wherein the chaotropic salt is selected from lithium bromide, lithium chloride, zinc chloride, calcium chloride, lithium thiocyanide, and aqueous ethanol solutions thereof;
b. freezing the silk fiber solution to form a frozen silk fiber solution;
c. freeze-drying the frozen silk fiber solution to form a silk foam;
d. dissolving the silk foam in formic acid to form an acidic silk solution;
e. mixing the acidic silk solution with a biocompatible polyurethane to form a silk/polyurethane mixture;
f. adding a solvent to the silk/polyurethane mixture to form a dissolved silk/polyurethane mixture;
g. casting the dissolved silk/polyurethane mixture into a mold; and
h. drying the dissolved silk/polyurethane mixture in the mold to form a blended silk fibroin polyurethane membrane matrix.