Spider Silk: Structure, Engineering, and Applications - Soft Fibrillar Materials: Fabrication and Applications - page 181

Table 6.1 Mechanical properties of spider silk and other fibrous materials [1-4].

Toughness (MJ m -3 ) Material Strength (GPa) Elongation (%)

Spider dragline silk 1.1 30 160

B. mori silk

0.4 15 60

Elastin 0.002 150 2

Tendon 0.15 12 7.5

Rubber 0.05 850 100

Nylon 0.95 18 80

Kevlar 49 3.6 2.7 50

Tough outer silk
of egg sack

Aggregate
gland

Flagelliform gland Cylindrical gland

Minor ampullate
gland

Pyriform gland

Core fibers of
capture spiral Aqueous coating

Major
ampullate
gland

Aciniform
gland

Silk for swathing
silk

Structural
silk

Dragline

Soft inner silk
of egg sack

Cement for joints
and attachments

Auxiliary
spiral

Figure 6.1 Silk gland distribution from a typical orb weaver spider. Within its abdomen the
spider produces up to seven different silks in different glands, all with specific functions.
(Reprinted with permission from Ref. [7]. Copyright (2006) Elsevier.)

focusing on the relationship between the molecular structure and mechanical
properties, followed by a discussion of how environmental conditions affect the
mechanical properties. Then recent progress on producing artificial spider silk will
be reviewed followed by a summary of applications of spider silk as a type of strong,
biocompatible, and biodegradable fiber.