Metal-reinforced caterpillar silk is one of the strongest materials in the world
Based on the silk of the silkworm, researchers have developed an artificial material that is said to be even more stable than spider webs.
Humans are known for constantly developing new materials. There is now the perfect fabric for many applications. But we are far from the end. A new discovery at Tianjin University in China could now fundamentally change our view of silk.
Insects are incredibly good at enduringly spinning webs. So far, the focus of science has increasingly been on spider webs, as these are particularly hard-wearing. The Pascal unit, in turn, indicates how high the pressure the material can withstand.
The silk produced by spiders, for example, can withstand 0.9 to 1.4 gigapascals, i.e. the equivalent of 1.4 billion pascals.
Researchers amplify silk from the silkworm
But there is a crucial reason why we still use the material relatively seldom. The production of artificial spider silk requires a comparatively high level of effort. However, the silk of the silkworm is considered an alternative that is now being studied by science. However, the silk was considered to be significantly weaker than that of spiders.
To strengthen the silk of the silkworm, the researchers dissolved it in a solution of sodium carbonate. They then reshaped the original structure in a bath of sugar, ethanol, zinc and iron ions. The result was an artificial silk that can compete with that of spiders.
New silk can withstand up to two gigapascals
Initial tests suggest that the reinforced silk of the silkworm can withstand pressure of around two gigapascals. So the material could one day be used in places where extra stability is required. But brings there are still some challenge.
As of today, artificial silk does not yet have the same properties as its natural counterpart. Further research is necessary here in order to produce the material in the future and to scale production. Nevertheless, the strengthening of the silk of the silkworms is a big step for research.
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