Basic Principles in the Design of Spider Silk Fibers
The prominence of spider silk as a hallmark in biomimetics relies not only on its unrivalled mechanical properties, but also on how these properties are the result of a set of original design principles. In this sense, the study of spider silk summarizes most of the main topics relevant to the field...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/6/1794 |
| _version_ | 1797540373818507264 |
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| author | José Pérez-Rigueiro Manuel Elices Gustavo R. Plaza Gustavo V. Guinea |
| author_facet | José Pérez-Rigueiro Manuel Elices Gustavo R. Plaza Gustavo V. Guinea |
| author_sort | José Pérez-Rigueiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The prominence of spider silk as a hallmark in biomimetics relies not only on its unrivalled mechanical properties, but also on how these properties are the result of a set of original design principles. In this sense, the study of spider silk summarizes most of the main topics relevant to the field and, consequently, offers a nice example on how these topics could be considered in other biomimetic systems. This review is intended to present a selection of some of the essential design principles that underlie the singular microstructure of major ampullate gland silk, as well as to show how the interplay between them leads to the outstanding tensile behavior of spider silk. Following this rationale, the mechanical behavior of the material is analyzed in detail and connected with its main microstructural features, specifically with those derived from the semicrystalline organization of the fibers. Establishing the relationship between mechanical properties and microstructure in spider silk not only offers a vivid image of the paths explored by nature in the search for high performance materials, but is also a valuable guide for the development of new artificial fibers inspired in their natural counterparts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:00:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a42cffa1cef94cdd82f0085d35e59c78 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:00:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-a42cffa1cef94cdd82f0085d35e59c782023-11-21T11:35:55ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492021-03-01266179410.3390/molecules26061794Basic Principles in the Design of Spider Silk FibersJosé Pérez-Rigueiro0Manuel Elices1Gustavo R. Plaza2Gustavo V. Guinea3Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28223 Madrid, SpainCentro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28223 Madrid, SpainCentro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28223 Madrid, SpainCentro de Tecnología Biomédica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28223 Madrid, SpainThe prominence of spider silk as a hallmark in biomimetics relies not only on its unrivalled mechanical properties, but also on how these properties are the result of a set of original design principles. In this sense, the study of spider silk summarizes most of the main topics relevant to the field and, consequently, offers a nice example on how these topics could be considered in other biomimetic systems. This review is intended to present a selection of some of the essential design principles that underlie the singular microstructure of major ampullate gland silk, as well as to show how the interplay between them leads to the outstanding tensile behavior of spider silk. Following this rationale, the mechanical behavior of the material is analyzed in detail and connected with its main microstructural features, specifically with those derived from the semicrystalline organization of the fibers. Establishing the relationship between mechanical properties and microstructure in spider silk not only offers a vivid image of the paths explored by nature in the search for high performance materials, but is also a valuable guide for the development of new artificial fibers inspired in their natural counterparts.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/6/1794spider silkmechanical propertiesX ray diffractionspider silk standardization initiative (S3I) |
| spellingShingle | José Pérez-Rigueiro Manuel Elices Gustavo R. Plaza Gustavo V. Guinea Basic Principles in the Design of Spider Silk Fibers Molecules spider silk mechanical properties X ray diffraction spider silk standardization initiative (S3I) |
| title | Basic Principles in the Design of Spider Silk Fibers |
| title_full | Basic Principles in the Design of Spider Silk Fibers |
| title_fullStr | Basic Principles in the Design of Spider Silk Fibers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Basic Principles in the Design of Spider Silk Fibers |
| title_short | Basic Principles in the Design of Spider Silk Fibers |
| title_sort | basic principles in the design of spider silk fibers |
| topic | spider silk mechanical properties X ray diffraction spider silk standardization initiative (S3I) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/6/1794 |
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