Science and Technology of Silkworm Sericin

Sabu Thomas is a Professor and Director of the International and Interuniversity Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India. Professor Thomas is internationally recognized for his contributions to polymer science and engineering, with his research interests encompassing polymer nanocomposites, elastomers, polymer blends, interpenetrating polymer networks, polymer membranes, green composites, nanocomposites, nanomedicine, and green nanotechnology. His groundbreaking inventions in polymer nanocomposites, polymer blends, green bionanotechnology, and nano-biomedical sciences have significantly advanced the development of new materials for the automotive, space, housing, and biomedical fields.

Rangam Rajkhowa received his bachelor’s degree in Textile Technology from Anna University, India; a master’s degree in Fibre Science and Technology from Indian Institute of Technology, India and a PhD in Engineering from Deakin University. Australia. He leads the silk and natural fibre particle stream of research at the Institute for Frontier Materials. His research interests are silk based biomaterials, value addition and new applications from natural fibres and fibre wastes, sustainable fibre and textile processing, and circular economy. He set up the fibre powder research facility at Deakin University and his group investigate sustainable production and advanced applications of particles from silk and other natural fibres. The group works on fundamental understanding of fibre and particle structures and properties but also has strong focus on interdisciplinary research applications using fibres.

Sneha Sabu Mathew is a research scholar at Mahatma Gandhi University, India. She received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Pure Chemistry from Mahatma Gandhi University, India. Her current research activities include the development of novel biobased biodegradable polymer composites for edible coating and packaging applications. Projects undertaken at the Mahatma Gandhi University, India, include: assisted extraction of nanocellulose from pineapple fibres and its characterization; assisted preparation of nanocellulose based edible coating using natural extracts; assisted preparation of TiO2 nanoparticle and doping for enhanced properties; assisted electrospun TiO2 nanocomposites for dye degradation, synthesis and characterisation of prepared nanofibers.

Hanna J. Maria is a Senior Researcher at the School of Energy Materials and the International and Inter University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, India. Her research focusses on natural rubber composites and their blends, thermoplastic composites, lignin, nanocellulose, bionanocomposites, nanocellulose, rubber-based composites and nanocomposites.