Silks from orb-weaving spiders are exceptionally tough, producing a model polymer for biomimetic fibre development. The mechanical properties of naturally spun silk threads from two species of Australian orb-weavers, Nephila pilipes and Nephilaplumipes, were examined here in relation to overall thread diameter, the size and number of fibres within threads, and spider size. N. pilipes, the large...

We hereby present a new method of producing coaxial conducting polymer fibres loaded with an antibiotic drug that can then be subsequently released (or sustained) in response to electrical stimulation. The method involves wet-spinning of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) fibre, which served as the inner core to the electropolymerised outer shell layer of polypy...

A missing cornerstone in the development of tough micro/nano fibre systems is an understanding of the fibre failure mechanisms, which stems from the limitation in observing the fracture of objects with dimensions one hundredth of the width of a hair strand. Tensile testing in the electron microscope is herein adopted to reveal the fracture behaviour of a novel type of toughened electrospun poly...

Wood and cellulose derivatives, in both fibrous and water-soluble macromolecular form, are emerging as outstanding candidates for organic electronics applications due to their large-scale availability, low cost, and easy processability. Paper and wood fibre-based derivatives are considered to be materials of choice as supports for communication world-wide. The interest in producing inexpensive ...

The peridynamic method is used here to analyse the effect of van der Waals forces on the mechanical behaviour and strength and toughness properties of three-dimensional nanofibre networks under imposed stretch deformation. The peridynamic formulation allows for a natural inclusion of long-range forces (such as van der Waals forces) by considering all interactions as ‘long-range’. We use van der...

The effects of the release of normal distractive forces from the rabbit's tendo-achilles by distal tenotomy and proximal sciatic neurectomy alone, and in combination, have been studied. The results demonstrate that: 1. Complete release of distractive forces from the tendon is followed by changes in collagenous architecture and an increase in cell size and cell population, particularly at the mu...

Silk is a natural polymer with broad utility in biomedical applications because it exhibits general biocompatibility and high tensile material properties. While mechanical integrity is important for most biomaterial applications, proper function and integration also requires biomaterial incorporation into complex surrounding tissues for many physiologically relevant processes such as wound heal...

The options for the fibre reinforcement of polymer matrix composites cover a range from short-fibre chopped strand mat, through woven fabric to unidirectional pre-impregnated (prepreg) reinforcements. The modelling of such materials may be simplified by assumptions such as perfect regular packing of fibres and the total absence of fibre waviness. However, these and other features such as the cr...

A composite material is made by combining two or more materials to give a unique combination of properties, one of which is made up of stiff, long fibres and the other, a binder or 'matrix' which holds the fibres in place. The fibres are strong and stiff relative to the matrix and are generally orthotropic. More recently natural fibers have been employed in combination with plastics. The abunda...

In this study, the ability to control the shell thickness of hollow polymeric microspheres prepared using electrohydrodynamic processing at ambient temperature was investigated. Polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ) was used as a model material for the microsphere shell encapsulating a core of liquid perfluorohexane (PFH). The microspheres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy...