title: Mechanical properties of silk: interplay of deformation on macroscopic and molecular length scales.
abstract: 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.
authors: Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
authors: Igor
authors: I
authors: Krasnov
authors: Imke
authors: I
authors: Diddens
authors: Nadine
authors: N
authors: Hauptmann
authors: Gesa
authors: G
authors: Helms
authors: Malte
authors: M
authors: Ogurreck
authors: Tilo
authors: T
authors: Seydel
authors: Sérgio S
authors: SS
authors: Funari
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Müller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx; D004548:Elasticity; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry; D047011:Silk / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D047011:Silk; D005349:Fibroins