Tensile Strength of Dragline Silk From the Hololena nedra spider
Poster Number
17
Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Artist Statement
This project studied the tensile strength of dragline silk of the Hololena nedra spider. The Hololena nedra spider is a member of the RTA clade, making it more distantly related from other spiders whose silk has been more thoroughly studied. Measurements were taken by stretching the silk using an AuroraScientific Force Transducer and Length Controller until breaking. The strain (∆L/L) and stress (F/A) were calculated using data obtained from the tensometer readings and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to find the diameter of the silk. a stress strain curve was plotted. The yield point occurred at a much higher stress than other spiders studied. The dragline silk was found to be single stranded and to have a breaking stress of 1311.6 ± 170 MPa. The breaking strain was found to be .197 ± .1. This leads us to conclude that although there are some similarities between Hololena dragline and that of other spiders, there are enough differences to suggest molecular differences and should be examined at a molecular level.
Location
Callison Hall
Start Date
6-5-2006 10:00 AM
End Date
6-5-2006 12:00 PM
Tensile Strength of Dragline Silk From the Hololena nedra spider
Callison Hall
This project studied the tensile strength of dragline silk of the Hololena nedra spider. The Hololena nedra spider is a member of the RTA clade, making it more distantly related from other spiders whose silk has been more thoroughly studied. Measurements were taken by stretching the silk using an AuroraScientific Force Transducer and Length Controller until breaking. The strain (∆L/L) and stress (F/A) were calculated using data obtained from the tensometer readings and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to find the diameter of the silk. a stress strain curve was plotted. The yield point occurred at a much higher stress than other spiders studied. The dragline silk was found to be single stranded and to have a breaking stress of 1311.6 ± 170 MPa. The breaking strain was found to be .197 ± .1. This leads us to conclude that although there are some similarities between Hololena dragline and that of other spiders, there are enough differences to suggest molecular differences and should be examined at a molecular level.