at Google ScholarTitle data
Scheibel, Thomas ; Zahn, Helmut ; Krasowski, Anita:
Silk.
In:
Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. -
Weinheim
: Wiley-VCH
,
2016
. - pp. 1-15
ISBN 978-3-527-30673-2
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/14356007.a24_095.pub2
Abstract in another language
Silkworms produce protein-based (silk) cocoons to protect themselves during their metamorphosis into moths, and humans have harvested silk fibers from these cocoons for millennia to produce textiles due to their luster, moisture absorbance and strength. Weaving spiders produce silk-based webs (from a variety of different silk protein-based fibers) to capture prey; some of these silk fibers have mechanical properties superior to Nylon, Kevlar, silkworm silk, and high-tensile steel. In this article, the relationship between the properties of fibers produced by silkworms and spiders and the molecular structure of their constituent proteins, as well as production and processing technologies in combination with the putative use of silk-based materials will be summarized