Spider's Silk Inspires Powerful Adhesive

May-21-14 Spider's silk has inspired a new adhesive that could have biomedical applications as well as surpass the effectiveness of regular glue.

Developed by a team from the University of Akron, the adhesive is based on the 'attachment discs' used by spiders to secure their webs to surfaces. These discs are made as the spider deposits layers of silk atop one another, which pins the fibers securely to the surface in the same way as staples or stitches.

Using electrospinning, the team created a synthetic version of the discs that mimics the 'staple-pin' design of the spider's attachment disc. According to the researchers, the staple-pin method is able to create a strong bond using little material, which makes the technique particularly appealing in biomedicine, where material cost can be an issue.

Thumbnail:Attachment disc spun by a spider
Larger Image: The team's electrospun version

More Info about this Invention:

[GIZMAG.COM]
[UNIVERSITY OF AKRON]

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