Nature reveals a great variety of inorganic-organic composite materials exhibiting good mechanical properties, high thermal and chemical stability, and good barrier properties. One class of natural bio-nanocomposites, e.g. found in mussel shells, comprises protein matrices with layered inorganic fillers. Inspired by such natural bio-nanocomposites, the cationic recombinant spider silk protein eADF4(κ16) was processed together with the synthetic layered silicate sodium hectorite in an all-aqueous setup. Drop-casting of this bio-nanocomposite resulted in a thermally and chemically stable film reflecting a one-dimensional crystal. Surprisingly, this bio-nanocomposite coating was, though produced in an all-aqueous process, completely water insoluble. Analyzing the structural details showed a low inner free volume due to the well-oriented self-assembly/alignment of the spider silk proteins on the nanoclay surface, yielding high oxygen and water vapor barrier properties. The here demonstrated properties in combination with good biocompatibility qualify this new bio-nanocomposite to be used in packaging applications.
The advent of bionic skin sensors represents a significant leap forward in the realm of wearable health monitoring technologies. Existing bionic skin technologies face several limitations, including complex and expensive manufacturing processes, low wearing comfort, and challenges in achieving comfortable real-time health monitoring. These shortcomings hinder the widespread adoption and practical utility of bionic skin in various applications.
Recent biotechnological advancements in protein production and development of biomimetic spinning procedures make artificial spider silk a promising alternative to petroleum-based fibers. To enhance the competitiveness of artificial silk in terms of mechanical properties, refining the spinning techniques is imperative. One potential strategy involves the integration of post-spin stretching, known to improve fiber strength and stiffness while potentially offering additional advantages.
Spider silk is part of a special class of natural protein fibers that have high strength and toughness: these materials have excellent comprehensive properties that are not found in other natural fibers (including silk) or most synthetic fibers. Spider egg case filaments have good hardness, can resist water, can protect spider eggs from external threats, have a significantly high initial modulus and high moisture absorption rate, and are expected to be used as a new generation of environmentally friendly natural polymer fibers and biomaterials. However, spiders are predatory and difficult to rear in large numbers, and it is also difficult to obtain spider egg case filaments in large quantities.
Selection of a suitable habitat by animals before settlement is critical for their survival and reproduction. In silk-spinning arthropods like spider mites, denser webs offer protection from predation and serve as a dispersal mode. Settling in habitats with the presence of conspecifics and silk webs can benefit the habitat-searching females.
This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of composite scaffolds that combine fibroin derived from spider silk and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) in the field of bone tissue engineering. Fibroin, obtained from spider silk, serves as a valuable biomaterial and constitutes the primary component of fibrous protein-based spider silk threads. To enhance the binding efficiency in bone formation after scaffold implantation, CMC was integrated into fibroin, aiming to improve the injectability properties of the scaffold in bone substitutes.
