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Researchers Make Spiders Produce Silk Strengthened With Graphene
An anonymous reader writes: Italian researchers in Trent have enabled 15 Pholcidae spiders to spin graphene-strengthened dragline silk just by spraying them with a solution containing carbon nanotubes and graphene flakes. The resulting fiber is as strong as Kevlar 49, and ranks among the most resilient and ductile in the world of manufacturing. But Emiliano Lepore's research has not succeeded in understanding by what process the spiders are able to incorporate the ambient materials into their webs. Since spider-farming is historically unproductive, the possibility of continuing the research on silk-worms has been presented.
Hmmm, I can think of a few places where strengthening with novel carbon structures would be quite welcome...
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Even when the experts all agree, they may well be mistaken. --- Bertrand Russell.
Whoever claimed that spider-farming is historically unproductive probably hasn't read this fascinating and (to some) horrifying article. Check the Images showing the sheets of webbing being harvested.