Graphene, a two-dimensional material made up of carbon atoms that are organized in hexagons, has very interesting properties. Thus, it is flexible and lightweight, much stronger than steel and conducts electricity and heat more efficiently than copper . This material, which can be obtained from the exfoliation of graphite, is already used in different types of sensors, batteries and solar panels. Now a team of researchers from Beijing’s Tsinghua University has discovered that silkworms that feed on graphene-enriched mulberry leaves produce strands twice as strong as normal ones. In addition, they conduct electricity and withstand 50% more stress before breaking.
In a study published in the journal Nano Letters , these experts, coordinated by Professor Yingying Zhang, from the Department of Chemistry of the aforementioned Chinese institution, explain that they sprayed the leaves with an aqueous solution containing 0.2% graphene. In his opinion, this process is easier than directly treating silk produced by worms that have followed a conventional diet with a compound containing this material.
The tests determined that the “carbon reinforced” silk had a more ordered crystalline structure. A similar experiment, but in which carbon nanotubes were included instead of graphene, showed that the resulting silk was equally stronger.
Although it is not yet clear how worms incorporate these compounds or what exact amount of them they metabolize, scientists already warn that this new material could be used in medicine – for example, as part of the development of biodegradable implants – or in the development of smart garments or electronic devices designed to be worn .
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