Silk metamaterial

Metamaterials are artificial electromagnetic composites, typically made of highly conducting metals, whose structures respond to electromagnetic waves in ways that atoms in natural materials do not.Characteristics of the most futuristic metamaterials: - to absorb all light, - to create heat to destroy cancerous tissue, - to bend light completely around an object, rendering that objectinvisible The real power of metamaterials is the possibility of constructing materials with a user-designed electromagnetic response at a precisely controlled target frequency.

Silk metamaterials arecomposites that are resonant at the terahertz frequency (1THz = 1012 Hz).
Terahertz waves are electromagnetic waves with frequencies higher than microwaves but lower than infrared radiation andvisible light.

Silk antenna – coupling silk to metal transistors, such as gold, to track proteins and other biomolecules at the terahertz range. Why in terahertz range? because each biological agent hasits own teraherz signature proteins, enzymes and chemicals in the body are naturally resonant at teraherz frequencies.

Silk antenna goes inside the body to monitor the body’s functions. Theantenna is designed to spot specific proteins and chemicals in the body, and alert doctors wirelessly to signs of disease. The silk allows the device to integrate with the human body, and after some time,slowly dissolve into the surrounding tissue.

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On a centimeter square film it is spayed gold particles with different shapes. Each shape responds to a different teraherz frequency. The film iswrapped around a capsule to form antenna.

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The antenna has been subjected to terahertz radiation - the antenna is resonant at specific frequencies. Scientists say the implant couldsomeday help patients with diabetes track their glucose levels without having to test themselves daily.

It is also under investigation the combination of silk and other metamaterials – metals, such...