Self-assembly and nanomechanics of peptide/cellulose nanocomposites

Kevlar is the strongest synthetic textile fibre available on the market today. It is also a by-product of the petroleum industry. The goal of this project is to develop a biodegradable fibre built from renewable materials that can at least match the mechanical performance of Kevlar. To achieve this goal we will take advantage of the unique properties of two types of natural polymers, proteins and sugars. At the core of the project is the design of short proteins called peptides that can be produced in large quantities and can self-assemble into nanometer thick ropes. We will model these ropes on similar structures found in Nature that have the ability to become stronger when stretched. We will develop methods to process these ropes into textile fibres that we will reinforce with nanometer sized cellulose crystals extracted from wood. As a result we should be able to produce a biodegradable textile fibre as strong as steel.