Applications of Silk

Modern interest in silk started in the late 1960's with the first extensive mechanical property examination by Zemlin in 1968 (1). Today, the same unique balance of material properties, good tensile strength, elasticity, and resistance to fracture is the primary driving mechanism behind the continuing interest in silks. Supercontraction, the mechanical response of some silks to moisture, has also been identified as being of potential technological value (2-4). It is well known that the diverse primary and secondary structure of silk fibers is the basis from which some of their physical properties arise. Through interactions between and modifications of these structures to respond to specific chemical and mechanical environments, the spider tailors the properties of a particular silk for each specific application. It is this control of properties that we hope to better understand. Gosline stated it well in a recent interview (5): "We do not aim to copy nature