Open AccessSpider Silk‐Inspired Artificial Fibers
Author(s) -
Li Jiatian,
Li Sitong,
Huang Jiayi,
Khan Abdul Qadeer,
An Baigang,
Zhou Xiang,
Liu Zunfeng,
Zhu Meifang
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.202103965
Subject(s) - spider silk , silk , materials science , spider , polymer science , synthetic fiber , fiber , ultimate tensile strength , composite material , nanotechnology , ecology , biology
Spider silk is a natural polymeric fiber with high tensile strength, toughness, and has distinct thermal, optical, and biocompatible properties. The mechanical properties of spider silk are ascribed to its hierarchical structure, including primary and secondary structures of the spidroins (spider silk proteins), the nanofibril, the “core–shell”, and the “nano‐fishnet” structures. In addition, spider silk also exhibits remarkable properties regarding humidity/water response, water collection, light transmission, thermal conductance, and shape‐memory effect. This motivates researchers to prepare artificial functional fibers mimicking spider silk. In this review, the authors summarize the study of the structure and properties of natural spider silk, and the biomimetic preparation of artificial fibers from different types of molecules and polymers by taking some examples of artificial fibers exhibiting these interesting properties. In conclusion, biomimetic studies have yielded several noteworthy findings in artificial fibers with different functions, and this review aims to provide indications for biomimetic studies of functional fibers that approach and exceed the properties of natural spider silk.