Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39303205›Full record

ArticleAdvanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)2024

Functionally-Graded Serrated Fangs Allow Spiders to Mechanically Cut Silk, Carbon and Kevlar Fibers.

Gabriele Greco, Diego Misseroni, Filippo Castellucci, Nicolò G Di Novo, Nicola M Pugno

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Gabriele GrecoDepartment of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-3356-7081
Diego MisseroniLaboratory for the Design of Reconfigurable Metamaterials & Structures, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77, Trento, 38123, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-7375-671X
Filippo CastellucciDepartment of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences-University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, Bologna, 40126, Italy.
Nicolò G Di NovoLaboratory for Bio-Inspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta, Materials & Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77, Trento, 38123, Italy.
Nicola M PugnoLaboratory for Bio-Inspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta, Materials & Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77, Trento, 38123, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-2136-2396

Funding

Caritro Foundation U1277.2020/SG.1130European Fellowships 101103616H2020 European Research Council 101086644
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Before humans and allegedly any animal group, spiders developed "functionally graded toothed blades" that cut one of the toughest biological materials: silk. Here, this work reveals the importance of micro-structured serrations in spiders' fangs that allow these animals to cut silk and artificial high-performance fibers, such as carbon or Kevlar. The importance of serrations revolves around the stress concentration at the interface between the fang and the fibers, resulting in a cutting efficiency superior to that of a razor blade. This efficiency is increased by the presence of pretension in the fibers and is high also for fibers with different diameters like silk, because of the serration grading that allows a smart positioning of the fiber in the optimal cutting condition. This work proposes that when the silk fiber is grasped by the fang, it slides along the serrated edge till it gets locked in the serration with a comparable size, where the load to cut is minimal. These results provide a new perspective on cutting mechanisms and set the roots for spider fang-inspired cutting tools.

Indexed as

CarbonSilkSpidersAnimalsCarbonSilkcuttingengineeringfunctional structuresserrationspider silkstress concentration

Identifiers

PMID39303205
PMCPMC11600254

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.