Electrospun Hornet Silk‐Based Nanofibers

Abstract

ABSTRACT Nonwoven mats consisting of protein‐based nanofibers have garnered interest because of their biocompatibility and mechanical toughness, offering an eco‐friendly alternative to synthetic counterparts for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Many insect species spin protein‐based fibers, and larvae of hornets and bees are also known to produce silk during pupation. The hornet silk has a different crystal structure from silkworm silk, and its potential application as an insect‐derived biomaterial has been investigated recently. Hornet silk has been processed into films and gels, however, a limited knowledge about processing retards the industrial use of a hornet silk. Here, we produced hornet silk‐based non‐woven mats by an electrospinning method. The silk mat comprised the average fiber diameter ranging from 1200 to 4000 nm. The hornet silk‐based nonwoven mats displayed excellent mechanical properties: stretchability of 24% and toughness of 0.012 J g −1 m were five and six times improved, respectively, compared with those of silkworm silk‐based counterparts. Humidity treatment promoted the crystallization of the β‐sheets, increasing the crystallinity from 17.1% to 20.1%, and the silk mat became insoluble in water. The hornet silk‐based mats demonstrated cell compatibility and adhesion properties equivalent to those consisting of silkworm silk. This study will help to open up new possibilities for the industrial use of hornet silk and contribute to the development of hornet silk‐inspired medical and functional materials.