What makes spider silk a strong material

What Makes Spider Silk A Strong Material?

There are some attractive types of silk material in the textile making world, but spider silk has emerged as tough and flexible material. It has become a desirable material and is being used in different applications. The composition and characteristics of this incredibly strong material makes it flexible and stronger than steel.

Do you know why spider silk is a sturdy and flexible material? When compared to other species in animal kingdom, the spiders has unique ability of spinning silk that is extremely strong. Silk worms also produce silk, but that is no way comparable with the fiber extracted from spiders.

This is because the spiders have incredible spinning capability which most of other insects do not possess. Though researchers have an idea on the spinning process of spider silk they don't know how this type of silk is exactly formed. The special glands of the spider secrete silk protein that is nothing but a chain of amino acids. This protein dissolves in the water based solution that the spider pushes from its long duct to microscopic spigots on its spinnerets. They normally have two to three pairs of spinneret at the rear side of their abdomen where these spigots are located.

Every spigot has a valve to control the speed and density of the extruded material. These spigots push the fibroin protein molecules from the ducts into the air and then these molecules stretch out and connect together in the form of long strands. Spinnerets then wind the long strands together into a sturdy fiber or silk fiber.

The spiders produce different types of silk materials as they have several silk glands. These glands secrete silk material that is meant for various purposes. The interesting thing is that spider's wind varieties of silk together in different proportions to form wide range of materials.

They can even make the fiber consistently by adjusting its spigots to create small or big strands.

The silk fiber consists of multiple layers such as inner core encircled by an outer tube. This type of silk is also eligible for coating various substances to use in different ways. However, the spiders may also coat the fiber with a sticky substance. For instance, it can be a waterproof material. In general, this coating makes the fiber look quite silky. The strands of spider silk are incredibly flexible and sturdy when compared to other types of silk. Some of the varieties in this type of silk are considered as five times stronger with equal mass as that of steel. Due to this reason, its popularity has increased in recent times and researchers are constantly looking for solutions to produce it in large quantity. Still some Spider silk technology companies are making efforts to find more resources for spider silk, as it is available in very small quantity in the nature but its applications are plenty. The spiders normally produce only a small quantity of silk as they use the silk threads for making structures or for ballooning. Hence, by the time the silk is extracted from them it will be available in very small quantity that is not sufficient for making silk products.