Hierarchical design of silkworm silk for functional composites

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Sustainable Materials

Background:

• Silk-reinforced composites (SRCs) leverage unique properties of silkworm silk fibers, including mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and biodegradability.
• These composites offer a sustainable alternative to synthetic materials across various applications.
• Current applications span biomedical engineering, flexible electronics, and environmental filtration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review diverse forms of silkworm silk fibers used in functional composites.
• To highlight advancements in composite design and processing for engineered performance.
• To identify challenges and future research directions for silk-based composites.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of silk-reinforced composites.
• Analysis of different silk fiber forms (fabrics, long fibers, nanofibrils).
• Examination of composite design and processing techniques.

Main Results:

• Silk-based composites demonstrate tunable mechanical and functional properties.
• Progress has been made in engineering SRCs for specific applications.
• Challenges persist in achieving multi-faceted performance and understanding mechanics for reverse-design.

Conclusions:

• SRCs possess significant sustainable, biodegradable, and biocompatible advantages.
• Advanced processing technologies and AI-assisted design are crucial for future development.
• This review provides a foundation for advancing multifunctional, high-performance silk-based composites.