Spider silk could pave way for super-strong materials in future

London, March 15 (ANI): In a new research, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), found that spider silk employs a unique crystal structure that can convert an otherwise weak material into one with super strength, which could pave the way for stronger synthetic materials in the future.

A key property of spider silk is its combination of strength and "ductility" - its ability to bend or stretch without breaking.

Most man-made materials, in contrast, sacrifice strength for ductility. Ceramics, for instance, are strong yet brittle.

According to a report in the Telegraph, scientists at the MIT studied the fundamental properties of spider silk using computer models to simulate its structure.

The silk is made from proteins including some that form thin flat crystals called beta-sheets.

The researchers found that the size of the crystals was critical.

When they measured about three nanometres (three millionths of a millimetre) across, they made the silk ultra-strong and ductile.

But, if the crystals grew to five nanometers, the material became weak and brittle.

Spider silk was strong despite its components being connected by naturally weak hydrogen chemical bonds, according to the scientists.

The tiny beta-sheet crystals, as well as filaments that join them, are arranged in a structure that resembles a tall stack of pancakes, but with the crystal structures within each pancake alternating in their orientation.

This particular geometry of tiny silk nanocrystals allows hydrogen bonds to work cooperatively, reinforcing adjacent chains against external forces, which leads to the outstanding extensibility and strength of spider silk.

The geometry of the crystals allowed the hydrogen bonds to work co-operatively, shielding each other against external forces.

According to the researchers, it may be possible to copy spider ingenuity to create new classes of materials that are both incredibly flexible and strong out of cheap, ordinary elements. (ANI)