Abstract
The reaction of silk with a disulfide-containing crosslinking agent, i.e. bis($\beta$-isocyanatoethyl)disulfide(BIED), was studied in an attempt to obtain disulfide-crosslinked silk. The setting properties of disulfide-crosslinked silk fibers were studied. The permanent set values of single fibers were evaluated after the set fibers were relaxed in boiling water. When single fibers were set in boiling water or in boiling alkaline solution, the permanent set values of BIED-treated silk fibers were less than those of untreated silk fibers. When the fibers were treated with 2% thioglycolic acid solution at $60^\circ{C}$ followed by oxidation, settability of BIED-treated silk was better than that of untreated silk. The rearrangement of secondary bonds faciliated by cleavage of crosslinks as well as the rearrangement of crosslinks itself seems to be an important role in the set stability.