Spider Silk Wires Could Power Tomorrow's Electronic Applications

Spider silk may seem fragile, but it could be a material that could have major implications for electrical conductivity and more. Scientists have wrapped spider silk in carbon nanotubes, which resulted in environmentally friendly wires.

A nanotube is essentially a one-atom thick sheet of carbon that's been rolled into a tiny tube. Its diameter is at least 10,000 times smaller than a strand of human hair. When something becomes that small, it begins to act strangely; carbon nanotubes are surprisingly strong and have the ability to conduct both electricity and heat.

In order to make an environmentally friendly option, the researchers decided to work with spider silk rather than plastics. They adhered the carbon nanotubes to the spider silk with a drop of water, creating wires from the materials.

"It turns out that this high-grade, remarkable material has many functions," said Eden Steven, one of the researchers, in a news release. "It can be used as a humidity sensor, a strain sensor, an actuator (a device that acts as an artificial muscle, for lifting weights and more) and as an electrical wire."

In fact, the new material can deal with humidity without complicated treatments and chemical additives. That's huge for making materials that do not harm the environment.

"Understanding the compatibility between spider silk and conducting materials is essential to advance the use of spider silk in electronic applications," wrote Steven. "Spider silk is tough, but becomes soft when exposed to water....The nanotubes adhere uniformly and bond to the silk fiber surface to produce tough, custom-shaped, flexible and electrically conducting fibers after drying and contraction."

The findings could help with the development of electronics and wires in the future. It could also help spawn a whole new range of environmentally friendly materials that could be used in everyday applications.

The findings are published in the journal Nature Communications.