Silkworm Can Rapidly Produce High-Quality Ultra-Thin Silk Fiber

In contrast, the silkworm can quickly and easily produce its own high-quality ultra-thin silk fiber. It just needs to secrete its viscous saliva onto a surface, and then pull its head back to pull the saliva into a long line. Researchers in Sichuan have replicated this process in a technology called micro viscous guidance (MAG).

It consists of pushing a row of microneedles into a foam soaked in a solution of polyoxyethylene, and then pulling them out. When the needles are pulled out, each needle pulls a thin polymer thread from the sponge. The threads dry quickly, and then they can be cut and put into use. More importantly, different kinds of nanofibers can also be created through MAG spinning technology by imitating the different ways that silkworms move their heads when producing silk fibers.

For example, if the needle is simply pulled back from the sponge, the fibers are straight and orderly arranged. However, if the array is shaken or vibrated, the fibers will cross link with each other. If the needle array is pulled back to one side or the other, the nanofibers will twist together to form a larger fiber. In fact, according to the type of nanofibers needed, it has been found that microneedle arrays are not always necessary. Just by putting two sponges soaked in polymer together and pulling them apart, scientists can produce straight nanofibers, which can be used to make an instant bandage and put on a person's skin. As an additional reinforcement, an antibiotic added to the polymer enables the bandage to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.