Piezoresponse, Mechanical, and Electrical Characteristics of Synthetic Spider Silk Nanofibers
This work presents electrospun nanofibers from synthetic spider silk protein, and their application as both a mechanical vibration and humidity sensor. Spider silk solution was synthesized from minor ampullate silk protein (MaSp) and then electrospun into nanofibers with a mean diameter of less than...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-08-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/8/8/585 |
| _version_ | 1819169915100200960 |
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| author | Nader Shehata Ishac Kandas Ibrahim Hassounah Patrik Sobolčiak Igor Krupa Miroslav Mrlik Anton Popelka Jesse Steadman Randolph Lewis |
| author_facet | Nader Shehata Ishac Kandas Ibrahim Hassounah Patrik Sobolčiak Igor Krupa Miroslav Mrlik Anton Popelka Jesse Steadman Randolph Lewis |
| author_sort | Nader Shehata |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This work presents electrospun nanofibers from synthetic spider silk protein, and their application as both a mechanical vibration and humidity sensor. Spider silk solution was synthesized from minor ampullate silk protein (MaSp) and then electrospun into nanofibers with a mean diameter of less than 100 nm. Then, mechanical vibrations were detected through piezoelectric characteristics analysis using a piezo force microscope and a dynamic mechanical analyzer with a voltage probe. The piezoelectric coefficient (d33) was determined to be 3.62 pC/N. During humidity sensing, both mechanical and electric resistance properties of spider silk nanofibers were evaluated at varying high-level humidity, beyond a relative humidity of 70%. The mechanical characterizations of the nanofibers show promising results, with Young’s modulus and maximum strain of up to 4.32 MPa and 40.90%, respectively. One more interesting feature is the electric resistivity of the spider silk nanofibers, which were observed to be decaying with humidity over time, showing a cyclic effect in both the absence and presence of humidity due to the cyclic shrinkage/expansion of the protein chains. The synthesized nanocomposite can be useful for further biomedical applications, such as nerve cell regrowth and drug delivery. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T19:27:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7148d24b38a84aba9cc600cba76c53eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T19:27:05Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-7148d24b38a84aba9cc600cba76c53eb2022-12-21T18:15:12ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912018-08-018858510.3390/nano8080585nano8080585Piezoresponse, Mechanical, and Electrical Characteristics of Synthetic Spider Silk NanofibersNader Shehata0Ishac Kandas1Ibrahim Hassounah2Patrik Sobolčiak3Igor Krupa4Miroslav Mrlik5Anton Popelka6Jesse Steadman7Randolph Lewis8Department of Engineering Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21544, EgyptDepartment of Engineering Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21544, EgyptUSTAR Bioinnovations Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84341, USACenter of Advanced Materials, Qatar University, Doha 2713, QatarCenter of Advanced Materials, Qatar University, Doha 2713, QatarCentre of Polymer Systems, University Institute, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Nad Ovcirnou 3685, Zlin 76001, Czech RepublicCenter of Advanced Materials, Qatar University, Doha 2713, QatarUSTAR Bioinnovations Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84341, USAUSTAR Bioinnovations Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84341, USAThis work presents electrospun nanofibers from synthetic spider silk protein, and their application as both a mechanical vibration and humidity sensor. Spider silk solution was synthesized from minor ampullate silk protein (MaSp) and then electrospun into nanofibers with a mean diameter of less than 100 nm. Then, mechanical vibrations were detected through piezoelectric characteristics analysis using a piezo force microscope and a dynamic mechanical analyzer with a voltage probe. The piezoelectric coefficient (d33) was determined to be 3.62 pC/N. During humidity sensing, both mechanical and electric resistance properties of spider silk nanofibers were evaluated at varying high-level humidity, beyond a relative humidity of 70%. The mechanical characterizations of the nanofibers show promising results, with Young’s modulus and maximum strain of up to 4.32 MPa and 40.90%, respectively. One more interesting feature is the electric resistivity of the spider silk nanofibers, which were observed to be decaying with humidity over time, showing a cyclic effect in both the absence and presence of humidity due to the cyclic shrinkage/expansion of the protein chains. The synthesized nanocomposite can be useful for further biomedical applications, such as nerve cell regrowth and drug delivery.http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/8/8/585spider silksensormechanical vibrationshumiditypiezoelectricnanofibers |
| spellingShingle | Nader Shehata Ishac Kandas Ibrahim Hassounah Patrik Sobolčiak Igor Krupa Miroslav Mrlik Anton Popelka Jesse Steadman Randolph Lewis Piezoresponse, Mechanical, and Electrical Characteristics of Synthetic Spider Silk Nanofibers Nanomaterials spider silk sensor mechanical vibrations humidity piezoelectric nanofibers |
| title | Piezoresponse, Mechanical, and Electrical Characteristics of Synthetic Spider Silk Nanofibers |
| title_full | Piezoresponse, Mechanical, and Electrical Characteristics of Synthetic Spider Silk Nanofibers |
| title_fullStr | Piezoresponse, Mechanical, and Electrical Characteristics of Synthetic Spider Silk Nanofibers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Piezoresponse, Mechanical, and Electrical Characteristics of Synthetic Spider Silk Nanofibers |
| title_short | Piezoresponse, Mechanical, and Electrical Characteristics of Synthetic Spider Silk Nanofibers |
| title_sort | piezoresponse mechanical and electrical characteristics of synthetic spider silk nanofibers |
| topic | spider silk sensor mechanical vibrations humidity piezoelectric nanofibers |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/8/8/585 |
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