Characterization of low-temperature-plasma treated silk fibroin fabrics by ESCA and the use of the fabrics as an enzyme-immobilization support.

Bombyx mori silk fibroin fabrics were treated with low-temperature-plasma using various gases. Alkaline phosphatase was immobilized onto the fabrics using the CNBr method. The enzyme activity was much improved by plasma treatment, especially when both O2 and CF4 were used. Using the ESCA technique it was found that the activities of the immobilized enzyme were strongly correlated with the C1s peak intensities of the atomic group -C-O-CF3. The apparent Michaelis constant for the enzyme decreased with increasing amounts of -C-O-CF3.