In the present paper the results regarding the influence of UV-irradiation with 254 nm wavelength on the
thermal and mechanical properties and the intrinsic viscosity of chitosan/silk fibroin mixtures are presented.
The mixture of chitosan and silk fibroin in solution and thin films made of chitosan/silk fibroin mixture
obtained by solvent evaporation were submitted to the treatment with UV irradiation (wavelength
254 nm) for different time intervals. Mechanical properties of thin films made of chitosan/silk fibroin
blends before and after UV-irradiation have been investigated by mechanical testing machine and compared
with mechanical properties of chitosan films. The changes in such mechanical properties as ultimate
breaking strength, percentage of elongation at break and Young Modulus have been investigated.
The results have shown, that the mechanical properties of the blends were greatly affected by time of
exposure to UV irradiation. Ultimate tensile strength and ultimate percentage of elongation decreased
after UV irradiation of the blend. Increasing UV irradiation led to the decrease in Young’s Modulus of
the chitosan/silk fibroin blend. Viscosity of chitosan/silk fibroin mixtures decreased after UV-irradiation.
Thermal properties of the mixtures have been only slightly altered by UV-irradiation.