Spider Silk Inspired Functional Microthreads

• Published in: Langmuir Vol. 28; no. 4; pp. 2206 - 2210
• Main Authors: Sahni, Vasav, Labhasetwar, Disha V, Dhinojwala, Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 31.01.2012
• Subjects: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Biomimetics - methods; Microspheres; Microtechnology - methods; Silk; Spiders; Surface Tension; Viscosity

We employ the adhesive web building strategy used by modern orb-weaving spiders to produce functional microthreads that are similar in structure (beads-on-a-string (BOAS) morphology) and adhesive properties to the capture-silk threads of the spider web. The diameter and spacing of droplets (beads) a...