Final published version
Licence: CC BY: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Mapping Nanostructural Variations in Silk by Secondary Electron Hyperspectral Imaging
AU - Wan, Quan
AU - Abrams, Kerry J.
AU - Masters, Robert C.
AU - Talari, Abdullah C. S.
AU - Rehman, Ihtesham U.
AU - Claeyssens, Frederik
AU - Holland, Chris
AU - Rodenburg, Cornelia
PY - 2017/12/20
Y1 - 2017/12/20
N2 - Nanostructures underpin the excellent properties of silk. Although the bulk nanocomposition of silks is well studied, direct evidence of the spatial variation of nanocrystalline (ordered) and amorphous (disordered) structures remains elusive. Here, secondary electron hyperspectral imaging can be exploited for direct imaging of hierarchical structures in carbon‐based materials, which cannot be revealed by any other standard characterization methods. Through applying this technique to silks from domesticated (Bombyx mori) and wild (Antheraea mylitta) silkworms, a variety of previously unseen features are reported, highlighting the local interplay between ordered and disordered structures. This technique is able to differentiate composition on the nanoscale and enables in‐depth studies into the relationship between morphology and performance of these complex biopolymer systems.
AB - Nanostructures underpin the excellent properties of silk. Although the bulk nanocomposition of silks is well studied, direct evidence of the spatial variation of nanocrystalline (ordered) and amorphous (disordered) structures remains elusive. Here, secondary electron hyperspectral imaging can be exploited for direct imaging of hierarchical structures in carbon‐based materials, which cannot be revealed by any other standard characterization methods. Through applying this technique to silks from domesticated (Bombyx mori) and wild (Antheraea mylitta) silkworms, a variety of previously unseen features are reported, highlighting the local interplay between ordered and disordered structures. This technique is able to differentiate composition on the nanoscale and enables in‐depth studies into the relationship between morphology and performance of these complex biopolymer systems.
KW - imaging
KW - polymers
KW - proteins
KW - SEM
KW - silks
U2 - 10.1002/adma.201703510
DO - 10.1002/adma.201703510
M3 - Journal article
VL - 29
JO - Advanced Materials
JF - Advanced Materials
SN - 0935-9648
IS - 47
M1 - 1703510
ER -