MIT Labs Moves Ahead In Synthesizing Spider Silk

Posted by Zonk on Saturday January 20, 2007 @07:14PM from the spiderweave-cap-of-the-bear dept.

icepick72 writes in with a link to an ExtremeTech article on new methods for creating synthetic spider silk. This material, like lycra in many ways, has a number of unique properties. The MIT lab that created it is being monitored by military elements, keenly interested in applications of this material to front-line technologies. From the article: "The secret of spider silk's combined strength and flexibility, according to scientists, has to do with the arrangement of the nano-crystalline reinforcement of the silk as it is being produced--in other words, the way these tiny crystals are oriented towards (and adhere to) the stretchy protein. Emulating this process in a synthetic polymer, the MIT team focused on reinforcing solutions of commercial rubbery substance known as polyurethane elastomer with nano-sized clay platelets instead of simply heating and mixing the molten plastics with reinforcing agents."

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Back to spiders... by Nulagrithom · 2007-01-20 19:19 · Score: 0, Redundant

Perhaps they should try creating large metal spider butts in order to replicate the spider-silk process?

Seriously though, I want to know why it's so difficult for us to make it, but a spider just kind of shits it out. How'd this happen?
Well by SeaFox · 2007-01-20 20:57 · Score: 0, Redundant

I, for one, welcome our new SpiderGeek overlords!