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Example of microprocessing in a natural polymeric fiber: Role of reeling stress in spider silk

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2006

M. Elices*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
G.V. Guinea
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
G.R. Plaza
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
J.I. Real
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
J. Pérez-Rigueiro
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author.e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Spider silk fibers were obtained by the monitored forced silking method. This procedure allows measurement of the silking force during the process and retrieving the fibers so their tensile behavior can be characterized. Silking conditions, including the reeling speed and the use of an anaesthetising gas, were varied to ascertain their influence on the tensile properties of the silk. In all cases, it was found that the tensile properties are determined by the silking stress, obtained by dividing the silking force by the diameter of the fiber. This suggests that the sophisticated spinning system of the spider can be characterized essentially by a single parameter, which controls the properties of spider silk almost independently of the reeling conditions.

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Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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References

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