Researchers have developed a material that mimics the sticky threads of spider silk, which can shoot out of a syringe like a web shooter. The new adhesive can lift small objects up to 80 times its own weight and stick to almost anything it touches.
Led by Tufts University’s Marco Lo Presti and the Silk Lab’s Fiorenzo Omenetto, the team collaborated with chemists from the University of Bari in Italy to create the material. They discovered an accidental discovery while working on a project to develop an underwater adhesive.
In the lab, researchers tested the new material by lifting objects such as wood blocks, steel nuts, and test tubes using the thread. While it can’t be used for swinging from skyscrapers like Spider-Man’s webs, it has superpowers that make it useful in various applications.
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The team is exploring potential uses for the material, including biomedical engineering and sustainable product development. Marco Lo Presti hopes to replace plastic-based adhesives with biodegradable alternatives like silk.
This technology is made possible with generous support from the Lemelson Foundation.
Source: https://www.snexplores.org/article/spider-man-silk-sticky-web-shooter