Just how strong is spider silk? Richard Jones takes a look
The usual measure for non-brittle substances is tensile strength, which is the pulling force that can be applied before something snaps. It is expressed in pascals (Pa, a force of 1 newton per square metre of cross section).
How strong is spider silk?
Spider’s silk has a tensile strength of about 1,200 megapascals.
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This is remarkable for a natural product and compares very well to structural steel (400 MPa) and even high-strength alloys (760 MPal, but specially prepared steel wires go to more than 2,200 MPa.
Spider’s silk is, however, much more elastic than steel, stretching to nearly twice its length before breaking.