Story perspectives

Silk-Based Composite Rivals Kevlar, Enables 6G Implants

5/26/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. researchers led by Chunmei Li of Tufts University fused aligned, sericin-removed commercial silk into a dense material by hot-pressing at 257–419 °F (125–215 °C) and 1,900–9,800 atm.
The silk shows tensile toughness near Kevlar, outperforms wood and bone, resists puncture like carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers, and can polarize terahertz waves for 6G use.
Mouse implants caused only mild, temporary immune reactions and allowed controllable degradation, suggesting the material for temporary medical implants.

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Story summary

U.S. researchers led by Chunmei Li of Tufts University fused aligned, sericin-removed commercial silk into a dense material by hot-pressing at 257–419 °F (125–215 °C) and 1,900–9,800 atm.
The silk shows tensile toughness near Kevlar, outperforms wood and bone, resists puncture like carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers, and can polarize terahertz waves for 6G use.
Mouse implants caused only mild, temporary immune reactions and allowed controllable degradation, suggesting the material for temporary medical implants.