Spider silk: Properties, synthesis techniques and processing - Applications in Engineering and Biomedicine

Abstract

Spider silk is a material that exhibits unique properties that make it of interest to science, most notably its combination of high tensile strength and elasticity. This work describes the physicochemical properties of spider silk in relation to its constituents and its structure, composed of both crystalline and amorphous domains. It also reviews recent literature on different techniques for synthesizing and processing spider silk, which involve protein modification, genetic manipulation of organisms, and exhaustive control of spinning parameters to replicate (or even surpass) the properties of spider silk in specific situations. Some current and potential applications of spider silk in engineering and biomedicine are discussed, with a focus on finding solutions and alternatives to specific social problems.