Abstract: Rheological properties and gel properties of soluble silk fibroin were assayed. The results showed that the viscosity of silk fibroin solution increases with the increase of mass concentration and the decrease of temperature. Silk fibroin solution exhibits shear thinning behavior following the Newtonian fluid model when the shear rates are within 0～30 S-1 and followed the pseudoplastic fluid model when the shear rates exceeded 30 S-1. Silk fibroin solution is typically viscous fluid by small strain oscillatory assay. The gel strength increases with the increase of silk fibroin solution mass concentration. When the mass concentration of silk fibroin solution exceeds 100 g/L, silk fibroin solution forms gels during the course of cooling after being heated up. The higher the mass concentration is the higher the gels point is.

Key words: silk fibroin, rheology, gel