posted on 2024-02-28, 06:03authored byHongchul Shin, Taeyoung Yoon, Wooboum Park, Juneseok You, Sungsoo Na
This
study investigated the impact of electric fields on Nephila
clavipes spider silk using molecular dynamics modeling.
Electric fields with varying amplitudes and directions were observed
to disrupt the β sheet structure of spider silk and reduce its
mechanical properties. However, a notable exception was observed when
a 0.1 V/nm electric field was applied in the antiparallel direction,
resulting in improvements in Young’s modulus and ultimate tensile
strength. The antiparallel direction was observed to be particularly
sensitive to electric fields, causing disruptions in beta sheets and
hydrogen bonds, which significantly influence the mechanical properties.
This study demonstrates that spider silk maintains its structural
integrity at 0.1 V/nm. Possibly, lowering the power levels of typical
electrospinning machines can prevent secondary structural disruption.
These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing silk fiber
production and applications using natural silk proteins while shedding
light on the impact of electric fields on other silk proteins. Finally,
this study opens up possibilities for optimizing electrospinning processes
to enhance performance in various silk electrospinning applications.