@article {146821, title = {Unexpected Strength and Toughness in Chitosan-Fibroin Laminates Inspired by Insect Cuticle}, journal = {Advanced Materials}, volume = {24}, year = {2012}, note = {{\textbullet} Scientific American: 9 Materials That Will Change Manufacturing Steven Ashley and Larry Greenemeier, 2013 http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=9-materials-that-will-change-manufacturing {\textbullet} Scientific American: Insect Cuticle Inspires New Material Cynthia Graber, 2011 http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=insect-cuticle-inspires-new-materia-11-12-20 {\textbullet} National Geographic Magazine: Super Materials Ann Williams, 2013 http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/05/explore/super-materials {\textbullet}The Daily Mail: Shrilk is a lab-grown version of insect armour which could replace plastics Rob Waugh, 2011 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2074157/Could-lab-grown-version-insects-hard-shells--Shrilk--day-replace-plastics.html {\textbullet} Science Daily: Inspired by Insect Cuticle, Scientists Develop Material That{\textquoteright}s Tough and Strong Dan Hogan, 2011 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213122629.htm {\textbullet} Fast Company: Insect-Inspired Material That Could Solve Our Plastic Problem Nidhi Subbaraman, 2011 http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679028/insect-inspired-material-that-could-solve-our-plastic-problem {\textbullet} PhysOrg: Shrilk: Inspired by insect cuticle, researchers develop low-cost material with exceptional strength John Benson, 2011 http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-12-shrilk-insect-cuticle-low-cost-material.html }, pages = {480-484}, publisher = {WILEY-VCH Verlag}, abstract = {A material inspired by natural insect cuticle and composed of chitosan and fibroin is created. The material exhibits the strength of an aluminum alloy at half its weight, while being clear, biocompatible, biodegradable, and micromoldable. The bioinspired laminate exhibits strength and toughness that are ten times greater than the unstructured component blend and twice that of its strongest constituent. }, keywords = {biomaterials, chitin, cuticles, shrilk, silk}, isbn = {1521-4095}, url = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201104051/abstract}, author = {Fernandez, Javier G. and Ingber, Donald E.} }