Heat-Conducting Spider Silk
June 5, 2012 | Terry Sharrer
Here’s an example of discovery being the mother of invention. Mechanical engineers at Iowa State University have shown that spider silk not only conducts heat, but increases its conductivity when stretched. Spider silk has long been recognized for its strength, but its heat conductivity is 1000 times greater than silkworm silk, higher than any other organic material, higher than copper, and only less than silver and diamond. Now, the task is to turn this discovery into need, perhaps for specialized sutures, implantable sensors, or artificial nerves. MORE
Image Credit: Iowa State University