Scientists have developed a groundbreaking ‘Spider-Man’ web slinging technology that can support 80 times its own weight
Scientists in the United States have made an exciting discovery.
They have created a new technology that resembles the web-slinging abilities of Spider-Man.
This innovative material can hold up to 80 times its own weight, opening doors to many potential uses.
“If you look at nature, you will find that spiders cannot shoot their web.
“They usually spin the silk out of their gland, physically contact a surface, and draw out the lines to construct their webs.”
The inspiration behind the Spider-Man web slinging technology
The idea of web-slinging comes from the popular Marvel superhero Spider-Man, who can swing between buildings using his web.
This character has captured the hearts of many since his creation by Stan Lee in 1962.
Recently, the character gained even more fame with Tom Holland playing Spider-Man in the Marvel movies.
Children around the world often pretend they can shoot webs and fly through the air like him.
“We are demonstrating a way to shoot a fiber from a device, then adhere to and pick up an object from a distance.
Rather than presenting this work as a bio-inspired material, it’s really a superhero-inspired material.”
Researchers at Tufts University in Massachusetts took this idea seriously.
They wanted to develop technology that could mimic Spider-Man’s web.
Their work has led to the creation of a special material that can shoot out from a needle, solidify into a string, and lift objects.
How the Spider-Man web slinging technology was discovered?
The discovery was somewhat accidental.
Marco Lo Presti, a research assistant professor at Tufts, was working on making strong adhesives from silk.
While cleaning his equipment with acetone, he noticed a web-like material forming.
This surprising observation led him and his team to explore the potential of this new material.
“I was working on a project making extremely strong adhesives using silk fibroin, and while I was cleaning my glassware with acetone, I noticed a web-like material forming on the bottom of the glass,” he said.
The researchers used silk from silk moth cocoons.
They boiled the silk and broke it down into its basic proteins, called fibroin.
This silk fibroin can then be extruded through tiny needles to create a stream. When exposed to air, it solidifies into a strong fiber.
Nature played a key role in this discovery.
Many insects, like spiders and moths, can produce silk.
The researchers looked to these natural processes to guide their work.
They aimed to create a synthetic version that could perform similarly.
The team also enhanced their silk fibroin solution with chitosan, which comes from insect exoskeletons.
This addition significantly increased the strength of the fibers.
They found that the fibers could lift objects more than 80 times their weight thanks to these improvements.
The technology developed at Tufts has many possible applications.
It can be used in creating strong adhesives that work even underwater.
Additionally, it could help in making printable sensors for various surfaces.
The researchers also envision using this technology for edible coatings that can extend the shelf life of food.
Moreover, this web-slinging technology could improve solar panels.
The new material could help capture light more efficiently, making solar energy more effective.
There are also possibilities for using it in more sustainable manufacturing methods for electronics.