2025-03-07 ノースウェスタン大学
＜関連情報＞
- https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2025/03/stretching-spider-silk-makes-it-stronger/
- https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr3833
延伸工程の予測モデリングによる合成絹繊維の機械的特性の包絡線図 Charting the envelope of mechanical properties of synthetic silk fibers through predictive modeling of the drawing process
Jacob J. Graham, Shri V. Subramani, Xinyan Yang, Timothy M. Russell, […], and Sinan Keten
Science Advances Publishe:7 Mar 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adr3833
Abstract
A major challenge in synthesizing strong and tough protein fibers based on spider silk motifs is understanding the coupling between protein sequence and the postspin drawing process. We clarify how drawing-induced elongational force affects ordering, chain extension, interchain contacts, and molecular mobility through mesoscale simulations of silk-based fibers. We show that these emergent features can be used to predict mechanical property enhancements arising from postspin drawing. Simulations recapitulate a purely process-dependent mechanical property envelope in which order enhances fiber strength while preserving toughness. The relationship between chain extension and crystalline domain alignment observed in simulations is validated by Raman spectroscopy of wet-spun fibers. Property enhancements attributed to the progression of anisotropic extension are verified by mechanical tests of drawn silk fibers and justified by theory. These findings elucidate how drawing enhances properties of protein-based fibers and shed light on how to incorporate this effect into predictive models.
