Mechanical properties of silk: interplay of deformation on macroscopic and molecular length scales.
Using an in situ combination of tensile tests and x-ray diffraction, we have determined the mechanical properties of both the crystalline and the disordered phase of the biological nanocomposite silk by adapting a model from linear viscoelastic theory to the semicrystalline morphology of silk. We observe a strong interplay between morphology and mechanical properties. Silk's high extensibility results principally from the disordered phase; however, the crystals are also elastically deformed.
Krasnov
Igor
I
Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
Diddens
Imke
I
Hauptmann
Nadine
N
Helms
Gesa
G
Ogurreck
Malte
M
Seydel
Tilo
T
Funari
Sérgio S
SS
Müller
Martin
M
D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx; D004548:Elasticity; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry; D047011:Silk / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014783:Viscosity
D047011:Silk; D005349:Fibroins