title: Brown recluse spider's nanometer scale ribbons of stiff extensible silk.
abstract: The silk of the recluse spider features a ribbon-like morphology unlike any other spider silk or synthetically spun polymer fiber. These protein ribbons represent free-standing polymer films with a thickness of about 50 nm. Stress-strain characterization of individual fibers via atomic force microscopy reveals that these ribbons, only a few molecular layers of protein thin, rival the mechanical performance of the best silks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Science, The College of William & Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187, USA.
authors.forename: Hannes C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Schniepp
authors.forename: Sean R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Koebley
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vollrath
keywords: fiber spinning; polymer thin films; protein fibers; silk