I’m focusing on the chemistry of making synthetic spider silk (like Spider-Man’s webs) and glue inspired by spider web sticky stuff.

For my research paper, I’m focusing on the chemistry of making synthetic spider silk (like Spider-Man’s webs) and glue inspired by spider web sticky stuff. I will explain how scientists use genetically changed bacteria or yeast to make spider silk proteins and then use chemistry to turn those proteins into very strong and stretchy fibers. I’ll also talk about what makes spider web glue sticky, like how certain chemical bonds and its stretchy nature help it work well. This helps inspire new kinds of glue that work even when it’s wet or hard to stick. Overall, I want to show how the chemistry of these materials connects to their special properties and how they can be useful in medicine, construction, and other areas.

Works Cited

Rising, A., & Johansson, J. (2020). Review host systems for the production of recombinant spider silk. Trends in Biotechnology, 38(11), 1196–1205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.03.011

Borkner, C. B., Elsner, M. B., Scheibel, T., & Fiedler, G. (2022). Bioengineering of spider silks for the production of biomedical materials. Biomaterials Translational, 3(3), 169–182. https://doi.org/10.24875/BMT.21000024

Fahnestock, S. R., & Bedzyk, L. A. (1997). Production of synthetic spider dragline silk protein in Pichia pastoris. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 47(1), 33–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002530050884

Amarpuri, G., Zhang, C., Blackledge, T. A., & Dhinojwala, A. (2017). Adhesion modulation using glue droplet spreading in spider capture silk. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 14(130), Article 20170228. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2017.0228

Amarpuri, G., Zhang, C., Diaz, C., Opell, B. D., Blackledge, T. A., & Dhinojwala, A. (2015). Spiders tune glue viscosity to maximize adhesion. ACS Nano, 9(11), 11472–11478. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5b05658

Heinritz, C., Ng, X. J., & Scheibel, T. (2023). Bio-inspired protein-based and activatable adhesion systems. Advanced Functional Materials, 33(8), 2303609. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202303609

Chung, H., Kim, T. Y., & Lee, S. Y. (2012). Recent advances in production of recombinant spider silk proteins. Biotechnology Advances, 30(3), 573–582. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2012.01.001

Vollrath, F. (2000). Strength and structure of spiders’ silks. In D. L. Kaplan, W. W. Adams, C. Viney, & B. L. Farmer (Eds.), Silk polymers: Materials science and biotechnology (pp. 234–244). American Chemical Society.

Smith, M. (2019). Spider silk: Nature’s super material. Materials Today. https://www.materialstoday.com/biomaterials/features/spider-silk-natures-super-material/

Roberts, C. (2021, August 15). The future of spider silk: How this natural fiber could change textiles. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/future-spider-silk-textiles

Introduction:This section will introduce spider silk as a remarkable natural material known for its combination of strength and elasticity. It will briefly explain the chemical nature of spider silk proteins called spidroins, which are composed of repetitive sequences rich in glycine and alanine. These amino acids form beta-sheet nanocrystals and amorphous regions that give spider silk its unique mechanical properties.References: Vollrath (2000) ACS, Smith (2019) Materials Today

Spider silk is a very strong lightweight

Synthetic Spider Silk Production:Here, the focus will be on how scientists replicate spider silk by producing spidroin proteins using genetically engineered microorganisms like bacteria and yeast. The biochemical processes involved in expressing, purifying, and spinning these proteins into fibers will be discussed. Polymer chemistry principles are key to controlling the fiber formation and achieving the desired strength and flexibility.References: Rising & Johansson (2020) Frontiers, Fahnestock & Bedzyk (1997) ACS, Bolt Threads/Microsilk – Wired

Spider Web Glue Chemistry and Bioinspired Adhesives:This paragraph will cover the chemistry behind the sticky droplets found on spider webs, which consist mainly of glycoproteins and polysaccharides that absorb moisture to maintain adhesion. The paper will explore how these properties inspire the development of reversible, humidity-responsive adhesives through dynamic covalent bonds or supramolecular interactions in synthetic polymers.References: Amarpuri et al. (2017) J. Royal Soc. Interface, Amarpuri et al. (2015) ACS Nano, University of Akron research on spider glue Akron.edu

Applications and Functionalization:The next section will describe practical uses of synthetic spider silk and bioinspired adhesives, such as creating ultra-strong but lightweight body armor, surgical sutures that biodegrade safely, and smart textiles for wearable technology. It will also touch on chemical functionalization strategies that add features like conductivity or improved biocompatibility to spider silk fibers.References: Borkner et al. (2022) Biomaterials Translational, National Geographic article on spider silk National Geographic

Challenges and Future Directions:This part will discuss the challenges faced in scaling up synthetic spider silk production and achieving consistent mechanical properties. It will highlight ongoing research in improving protein expression systems, fiber spinning methods, and the integration of synthetic silk into commercial products. The potential for this material to revolutionize industries such as medicine, textiles, and defense will be emphasized.References: Chung, Kim, & Lee (2012) Biotechnology Advances, Rising & Johansson (2020) Frontiers

Conclusion:The paper will conclude by summarizing the key chemical principles underlying natural and synthetic spider silk, the promising advances in production and adhesive technologies, and the exciting future applications of these biomaterials. The importance of continuing interdisciplinary research combining biochemistry, polymer chemistry, and materials science will be stressed.References: Heinritz, Ng, & Scheibel (2023) Advanced Functional Materials, Roberts (2021) National Geographic
PROMPT:This fall, my CHEM 1211 Research Paper will have the following requirements:

1. The topic should relate to Chemistry in some aspect. This relationship should be shown in some fashion, such as chemical structures, chemical reactions, functions of chemicals in a physiological or environmental context, etc. If you’re concerned that your paper doesn’t have enough chemistry, ask me and I’ll make suggestions.
2. The paper should follow the structure of an APA paper. It should have a Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References.
3. The length of the paper should be about 2500 words. This can include the title, abstract, and references in addition to the main body.
4. The References should include 10 references at a minimum. You may add more after submitting your reference list, or change those references if you find better ones, but do get my permission first. At least 7 of those references must be peer-reviewed journal articles.
5. In-text citations should be done properly, to avoid plagiarism.