Researchers crack source of spider silk’s strength

VANCOUVER DESI

A spider guards his web in a field near Colilia village, 230 kms east from Bucharest, in this file photo. Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images

Spider silk is, pound for pound, some of the strongest material on Earth.

Now scientists say they know why.

“Spider silk has a unique combination of mechanical strength and elasticity that make it one of the toughest materials we know,” said Jeffery Yarger, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Arizona State University, who led a team researching the substance, the journal Nature Materials reported.

“This work represents the most complete understanding we have of the underlying mechanical properties of spider silk.”

Spider silk is an exceptional biological polymer, related to collagen (theResearchers crack source of spider silk’s strength material found in skin and bones) but much more complex in its molecular structure.

The research team is studying its characteristics in order to replicate it in real-world applications, such as the production of items ranging from bullet-proof vests to artificial tendons.

- With a file from IANS