Engineering scientists use bacteria to create biosynthetic silk threads stronger and more tensile than before
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 - 10:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Spider silk is among the strongest and toughest materials in the natural world, as strong as some steel alloys with a toughness even greater than bulletproof Kevlar. Spider silk's unmatched combination of strength and toughness have made this protein-based material desirable for many applications ranging from super thin surgical sutures to projectile resistant clothing. Unfortunately, due to spiders' territorial and cannibalistic nature, their silk has been impossible to mass produce, so practical applications have yet to materialize.