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Related Concept Videos

Classification and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Polymers01:28

Classification and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Polymers

Synthetic polymers are classified as elastomers, fibers, or plastics based on their crystallinity. Crystallinity, the degree of long-range order in the solid state, influences the mechanical properties (stretching or contracting) of elastomers. Elastomers are flexible polymers that can expand or contract easily upon the application of an external force. They have numerous crosslinks that pull them back into their original shape when stress is removed. Silicones, for instance, are highly elastic...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters

The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the polymer...
Fibrous Proteins00:55

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Fibrous proteins are either long and narrow proteins or assemble to form long and thin structures. They contain repetitive units and usually consist of either alpha helices or beta sheets and, in rare cases, a mix of both. The amino acids in the primary structure often consist of repeating amino acid sequences. The role of fibrous proteins is primarily structural. Many are located in the extracellular matrix and are present in connective tissues to impart strength and joint mobility. They are...

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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Designing Silk-silk Protein Alloy Materials for Biomedical Applications
11:14

Designing Silk-silk Protein Alloy Materials for Biomedical Applications

Published on: August 13, 2014

Silk-inspired polymers and proteins.

John G Hardy1, Thomas R Scheibel

  • 1Lehrstuhl für Biomaterialien, Universität Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany. john.hardy@bm.unibayreuth.de

Biochemical Society Transactions
|July 21, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Natural silk inspires biomimetic polymers and proteins with impressive mechanical and biological properties. This overview covers their design, processing, and diverse biomedical applications.

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Microfluidic Dry-spinning and Characterization of Regenerated Silk Fibroin Fibers
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Microfluidic Dry-spinning and Characterization of Regenerated Silk Fibroin Fibers

Published on: September 4, 2017

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Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Designing Silk-silk Protein Alloy Materials for Biomedical Applications
11:14

Designing Silk-silk Protein Alloy Materials for Biomedical Applications

Published on: August 13, 2014

Microfluidic Dry-spinning and Characterization of Regenerated Silk Fibroin Fibers
08:28

Microfluidic Dry-spinning and Characterization of Regenerated Silk Fibroin Fibers

Published on: September 4, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Natural silk fibers offer ideal biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical properties under benign production conditions.
  • This natural silk model inspires the development of synthetic silk-mimetic materials.
  • Significant research efforts in academia and industry focus on creating these silk-inspired alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of silk-inspired polymers and proteins.
  • To detail the design principles guiding the creation of these biomimetic materials.
  • To explore their processing, properties, and applications in technical and biomedical fields.

Main Methods:

  • Review of design principles for silk-mimetic polymers and proteins.
  • Analysis of processing techniques for various material morphologies.
  • Evaluation of mechanical and biological property data from existing literature.

Main Results:

  • Silk-mimetic materials can be designed using chemical and biotechnological approaches.
  • Diverse material morphologies can be achieved through tailored processing.
  • These materials exhibit promising mechanical strength and biocompatibility.

Conclusions:

  • Silk-inspired polymers and proteins represent a viable biomimetic strategy.
  • Their tunable properties allow for a wide range of technical and biomedical applications.
  • Continued research promises further advancements in this field.