Spider dragline silk composite films doped with linear and telechelic polyalanine: Effect of polyalanine on the structure and mechanical properties

Sci Rep. 2018 Feb 26;8(1):3654. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-21970-1.

Abstract

Spider dragline silks have attracted intensive attention as eco-friendly tough materials because of their excellent mechanical property and biomass-based origin. Composite films based on a recombinant spider dragline silk protein (ADF3) from Araneus diadematus were prepared by doping with linear or telechelic poly(L-alanine) (L- or T-polyA, respectively) as a reinforcing agent. Higher tensile strength and toughness of the composite films were achieved with the addition of polyA compared with the tensile strength and toughness of the silk-only film. The difference in the reinforcing behavior between L- and T-polyA was associated with their primary structures, which were revealed by wide angle X-ray diffraction analysis. L-polyA showed a tendency to aggregate in the composite films and induce crystallization of the inherent silk β-sheet to afford rigid but brittle films. By contrast, T-polyA dispersion in the composite films led to the formation of β-sheet crystal of both T-polyA and the inherent silk, which imparted high strength and toughness to the silk films.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Insect Proteins / chemistry*
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Silk / chemistry*
  • Spiders
  • Tensile Strength

Substances

  • Insect Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Silk
  • polyalanine