title: Silk cocoon (Bombyx mori): multi-layer structure and mechanical properties.
abstract: Bombyx mori cocoon is a natural composite made of silk fibre with a distinctive multi-layer structure that provides mechanical protection for its biological functions. Here we investigate the components, structure and mechanical properties of cocoon layers, and quantify the contributions of the multi-layer structure to the mechanical properties of cocoon. A better understanding of the multi-layer mechanism of a natural composite could help the further design of biomimetic multiscale artificial materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, UK. fujia.chen@zoo.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Fujia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vollrath
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D012831:Bombyx / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008422:Materials Testing; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D047011:Silk / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D047011:Silk