Producing stronger, tougher silk by feeding silkworms with rare earth ion-modified diets
The date of：
2023-11-29
viewed:
0
source: Science China Press
A research team led by Dr. Yingying Zhang (Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University) devised a scheme utilizing silkworms to produce strong, tough silk through feeding them with rare earth ion-modified diets. The rare earth ions can be incorporated into silk fibroin through feeding. And the incorporated ions are capable of forming ion-dipole and cation-π interactions with silk fibroin. These interactions are promising to tune the structures of silk to enhance its mechanical performance.Spectra analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of rare earth ions into silk fibers, and their chemical interactions. Morphological and structural analysis demonstrated that rare earth ions reduced the diameter of silkworm silk fibers, while increasing the amorphous component content and crystalline orientation.These chemical interactions and structural evolutions contributed to the mechanical improvement of silk fibers. The average values for tensile strength, Young's modulus, and toughness reached 0.85 ± 0.07 GPa, 18.0 ± 1.5 GPa, and 156 ± 13 MJ m−3, respectively, and maximum values reached 0.97 ± 0.04 GPa, 19.0 ± 1.5 GPa, and 188 ± 19 MJ m−3. The comprehensive mechanical performance of this silk is comparable to spider dragline silk, and superior to that of silk modified by other functional materials.This work provides a simple, efficient, and scalable strategy to prepare super strong and tough silkworm silk fibers. And the as-obtained silk fiber are potential candidates for medical treatment, aerospace, and sports applications.The work is published in the journal Science Bulletin.
Hot News
/
Related to recommend
2024
-
09
-
06
Click on the number of times:
0
source:TOHOKU UNIVERSITYResearchers at Tohoku University have successfully increased the capacity, lifetime durability, and cost-effectiveness of a capacitor in their pursuit of a more power-efficient...
2024
-
09
-
05
Click on the number of times:
0
source:MININGCritical Metals Corp. (Nasdaq: CRML), coming off its acquisition of a controlling stake in the Tanbreez rare earth project in Greenland, has kicked off diamond drilling program with a vie...
2024
-
09
-
04
Click on the number of times:
0
source:SMALL CAPS has scored a “hat trick” with all three completed drill holes at its 100%-owned Havilah project in NSW intersecting significant sulphide mineralisation.Diamond drill hole HVD003...
2024
-
09
-
03
Click on the number of times:
0
source:phys.orgHealthy lighting technology is receiving increasingly widespread attention. Traditional solid-state lighting sources utilize photoluminescence down conversion technology to realize idea...