Fiorenzo Omenetto: Silk, the ancient material of the future

譯者: K. C. Peng 審譯者: Claire Kao

Thank you.

謝謝

I'm thrilled to be here.

我非常高興來到這兒

I'm going to talk about a new, old material

我想談談一個新的老材料

that still continues to amaze us,

而且, 我們持續在此材料的研究中感到驚奇

and that might impact the way we think

這可能會徹底改變我們對於

about material science, high technology --

材料科學與高科技的想法

and maybe, along the way,

也或許 繼續下去

also do some stuff for medicine and for global health and help reforestation.

能為醫藥與全球健康盡心力 也能幫助再造林

So that's kind of a bold statement.

這是我們的大膽宣言

I'll tell you a little bit more.

我會再多作說明的

This material actually has some traits that make it seem almost too good to be true.

這材料的確會有著好到讓人難以想像的特徵

It's sustainable; it's a sustainable material

它絕對是對環境永續的

that is processed all in water and at room temperature --

製程只在水中與室溫下進行

and is biodegradable with a clock,

隨時間控制 它是生物可分解的

so you can watch it dissolve instantaneously in a glass of water

所以你能看著它很快的溶解於水中

or have it stable for years.

或是能穩定存在好幾年

It's edible; it's implantable in the human body

是可食用 是可被植入人體

without causing any immune response.

且不會造成排斥反應

It actually gets reintegrated in the body.

它能在體內再組合

And it's technological,

它也是科技產品

so it can do things like microelectronics,

所以它能製作成微電子元件

and maybe photonics do.

或是光電元件

And the material

這材料

looks something like this.

長的像這樣

In fact, this material you see is clear and transparent.

實際上 這材料是透明的

The components of this material are just water and protein.

成分就只是水和蛋白質

So this material is silk.

這材料是 絲

So it's kind of different

有點不同於

from what we're used to thinking about silk.

我們穿著的 絲

So the question is, how do you reinvent something

所以問題是 怎麼能再創造發明這

that has been around for five millennia?

已存在5000年的東西?

The process of discovery, generally, is inspired by nature.

發現的過程 也是來自自然界的啟發

And so we marvel at silk worms --

我們讚嘆蠶寶寶

the silk worm you see here spinning its fiber.

這隻蠶正在吐出纖維

The silk worm does a remarkable thing:

蠶寶寶作的神奇事是:

it uses these two ingredients, protein and water,

它用的成分就只是它腺體中的

that are in its gland,

蛋白質跟水

to make a material that is exceptionally tough for protection --

製造出具有保護作用的特別堅硬物質

so comparable to technical fibers

相當於科技纖維

like Kevlar.

像是Kevlar (防彈纖維)

And so in the reverse engineering process

利用紡織界常用

that we know about,

也是我們都知道與

and that we're familiar with,

熟悉的

for the textile industry,

逆向工程研究:

the textile industry goes and unwinds the cocoon

紡織界解開蠶繭

and then weaves glamorous things.

再利用絲編出迷人織物

We want to know how you go from water and protein

我們想知道的是 怎麼從水和蛋白質

to this liquid Kevlar, to this natural Kevlar.

產生液狀防彈纖維 就是這天然的防彈纖維

So the insight

重要的是

is how do you actually reverse engineer this

你要如何執行逆向工程

and go from cocoon to gland

從蠶繭到腺體分泌

and get water and protein that is your starting material.

才到水和蛋白質 也就是我們確定的初始物質

And this is an insight

這核心發現

that came, about two decades ago,

來自於20年前

from a person that I'm very fortunate to work with,

我有幸能共事過的一位同事

David Kaplan.

David Kaplan

And so we get this starting material.

我們有著初始物質

And so this starting material is back to the basic building block.

水和蛋白質 就是基本的構造

And then we use this to do a variety of things --

我們用這試著作出不同的東西

like, for example, this film.

比如 像這個 薄膜

And we take advantage of something that is very simple.

我門實際上利用蛋白質的優勢

The recipe to make those films

這薄膜的製作方式

is to take advantage of the fact

就是利用

that proteins are extremely smart at what they do.

蛋白質是非常聰明的

They find their way to self-assemble.

他們能自己找到位置作組合堆疊

So the recipe is simple: you take the silk solution, you pour it,

製作方法很簡單: 拿絲的溶液 倒出

and you wait for the protein to self-assemble.

等著蛋白質作自行結合堆疊

And then you detach the protein and you get this film,

撕下蛋白質就是這張薄膜

as the proteins find each other as the water evaporates.

隨著溶液蒸發, 蛋白質會與其他蛋白質相觸

But I mentioned that the film is also technological.

我剛剛強調這薄膜是具有科技性的

And so what does that mean?

怎麼說呢?

It means that you can interface it

它可以成為

with some of the things that are typical of technology,

典型的科技事物

like microelectronics and nanoscale technology.

像是微電子元件 與 奈米級科技的介面

And the image of the DVD here

這照片上的DVD光碟片

is just to illustrate a point

只是要表示一個重點

that silk follows very subtle topographies of the surface,

絲能夠將就各式表面的微妙形狀

which means that it can replicate features on the nanoscale.

換句話說他們能複製奈米級的特性

So it would be able to replicate the information

也就能夠複製

that is on the DVD.

DVD上的資訊

And we can store information that's film with water and protein.

我們能儲存資訊在水和蛋白質作成的薄膜

So we tried something out, and we wrote a message in a piece of silk,

這是我們的嘗試 留下些訊息在這塊絲上面

which is right here, and the message is over there.

就是這塊絲 訊息在這邊

And much like in the DVD, you can read it out optically.

像DVD般 可以用光學方式讀取

And this requires a stable hand,

這需要一雙穩定的手操作

so this is why I decided to do it onstage in front of a thousand people.

也是我為什麼選擇要自己在台上呈現給數百人看

So let me see.

來吧!

So as you see the film go in transparently through there,

薄膜大部分是透明的

and then ...

再來...

(Applause)

(掌聲)

And the most remarkable feat

最驚人的是

is that my hand actually stayed still long enough to do that.

我的手真的能維持一定的穩定

So once you have these attributes

當你認識了關於這物質的

of this material,

這些屬性

then you can do a lot of things.

你可以利用絲 作出許多東西

It's actually not limited to films.

不只是透明薄膜

And so the material can assume a lot of formats.

這物質可以長成許多型式

And then you go a little crazy, and so you do various optical components

然後可以瘋狂一點, 作出不同的光學零件

or you do microprism arrays,

或是作出 微菱鏡陣列

like the reflective tape that you have on your running shoes.

像是在運動鞋上的反光條

Or you can do beautiful things

或作出美麗的東西

that, if the camera can capture, you can make.

希望攝影機能看到這

You can add a third dimensionality to the film.

你可以在薄膜上有三度空間的訊息

And if the angle is right,

當角度對時

you can actually see a hologram appear in this film of silk.

你可以看到一個全像顯示在這絲的薄膜上

But you can do other things.

也能做出其他東西

You can imagine that then maybe you can use a pure protein to guide light,

可以想像利用一個純蛋白質作光的傳導

and so we've made optical fibers.

所以我們做出光纖

But silk is versatile and it goes beyond optics.

絲是多樣的 能不只是光學用途

And you can think of different formats.

也能想出些不同的型式

So for instance, if you're afraid of going to the doctor and getting stuck with a needle,

舉例說 怕上醫院打針

we do microneedle arrays.

我們可以做出微針陣列

What you see there on the screen is a human hair

螢幕上顯示著一根人類頭髮

superimposed on the needle that's made of silk --

對比的是 用絲作成的針頭

just to give you a sense of size.

給大家一個實際大小的感覺

You can do bigger things.

也能做大一點的東西

You can do gears and nuts and bolts --

可以做齒輪 螺絲 螺母

that you can buy at Whole Foods.

以後可以在食品店買到

And the gears work in water as well.

齒輪也能於水中運作

So you think of alternative mechanical parts.

可以想成是另類的機構組件

And maybe you can use that liquid Kevlar if you need something strong

可以用液態Kevlar 做出較硬的材料

to replace peripheral veins, for example,

以, 譬如, 取代周邊靜脈

or maybe an entire bone.

或取代整跟骨頭

And so you have here a little example

這裡有一些例子

of a small skull --

小骷顱頭

what we call mini Yorick.

我們稱它是迷你 Yorick (哈姆雷特中之人物)

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

But you can do things like cups, for example,

舉例 也能做成杯子

and so, if you add a little bit of gold, if you add a little bit of semiconductors

或是加點金 加點半導體元件

you could do sensors that stick on the surfaces of foods.

能做出貼在食物上的感應器

You can do electronic pieces

可以做出能被撓曲的

that fold and wrap.

電子元件

Or if you're fashion forward, some silk LED tattoos.

或是你走在流行尖端, 可以是LED刺青

So there's versatility, as you see,

就如大家所見的 你可以用絲

in the material formats,

在材料形式

that you can do with silk.

作出不同的多樣性

But there are still some unique traits.

但絲還是有些獨特的性質

I mean, why would you want to do all these things for real?

我的意思是 為什麼要做出這些東西呢?

I mentioned it briefly at the beginning;

一開始我有簡單地說明過

the protein is biodegradable and biocompatible.

蛋白質是可分解的以及不被排斥的

And you see here a picture of a tissue section.

這裡是個人工器官的照片

And so what does that mean, that it's biodegradable and biocompatible?

絲具有生物可分解性或生物相容性 到底是什麼意思呢?

You can implant it in the body without needing to retrieve what is implanted.

你可以將它植入體內又不必取出植入物

Which means that all the devices that you've seen before and all the formats,

也就是說 之前看到的各形式

in principle, can be implanted and disappear.

基本上都能被植入與取出

And what you see there in that tissue section,

那些器官部分

in fact, is you see that reflector tape.

可以利用反光貼布的特性

So, much like you're seen at night by a car,

像是被車燈照到反光

then the idea is that you can see, if you illuminate tissue,

所以當光線照射到器官

you can see deeper parts of tissue

就能因反光看到器官的更深部位

because there is that reflective tape there that is made out of silk.

因為反光貼布是用絲所做的

And you see there, it gets reintegrated in tissue.

就可以整合到器官上

And reintegration in the human body

不只能應用到

is not the only thing,

器官植入人體

but reintegration in the environment is important.

也能與環境保護結合

So you have a clock, you have protein,

因蛋白質的成分 所以有著內部分解時鐘

and now a silk cup like this

一個絲作成的杯子

can be thrown away without guilt --

就能安心的丟棄

(Applause)

(掌聲)

unlike the polystyrene cups

不像保利龍杯

that unfortunately fill our landfills everyday.

每天成為垃圾堆積

It's edible,

它是可食的

so you can do smart packaging around food

所以可設計成聰明的食物包裝

that you can cook with the food.

也能與食物一起烹煮

It doesn't taste good,

只是吃起來口感不佳

so I'm going to need some help with that.

我需要些這方面的協助

But probably the most remarkable thing is that it comes full circle.

但最最神奇的事是它是天然循環的

Silk, during its self-assembly process,

絲 在自行組合時

acts like a cocoon for biological matter.

生物行為上像是蠶繭

And so if you change the recipe,

所以如果改變配方時

and you add things when you pour --

加點東西進去

so you add things to your liquid silk solution --

在液狀絲溶液加點東西進去

where these things are enzymes

通常就是酶

or antibodies or vaccines,

抗生素 或是 疫苗

the self-assembly process

自行組合時

preserves the biological function of these dopants.

會保持這些摻雜物的生物功能

So it makes the materials environmentally active

所以可以做成環境活性的材料

and interactive.

或是會對環境反應的材料

So that screw that you thought about beforehand

所以剛剛看到的螺絲螺母

can actually be used

可以真的用來

to screw a bone together -- a fractured bone together --

將骨折的骨頭鎖在一起

and deliver drugs at the same,

又能在骨頭痊癒期間

while your bone is healing, for example.

比如, 同時釋放藥劑

Or you could put drugs in your wallet and not in your fridge.

會是變成能攜帶於皮夾中, 而非存於冰箱中的藥品

So we've made a silk card

像這個絲作成的卡片

with penicillin in it.

有著盤尼西林的成分

And we stored penicillin at 60 degrees C,

我們將盤尼西林存放在攝氏60度

so 140 degrees Fahrenheit,

也就是華氏140度 的環境

for two months without loss of efficacy of the penicillin.

盤尼西林的藥效可維持整整兩個月

And so that could be ---

就可以 ...

(Applause)

(掌聲)

that could be potentially a good alternative

就可以是背著太陽光電板以冷凍保存藥物的駱駝

to solar powered refrigerated camels. (Laughter)

的另一種解決方案

And of course, there's no use in storage if you can't use [it].

當然 最重要還是它應有的效果

And so there is this other unique material trait

所以這是它另一獨特的性質

that these materials have, that they're programmably degradable.

它們能被設計成 可程式的分解

And so what you see there is the difference.

這裡顯現不同處

In the top, you have a film that has been programmed not to degrade,

上方是設計成不分解

and in the bottom, a film that has been programmed to degrade in water.

下方是設計成可水解

And what you see is that the film on the bottom

看到的就是下方的薄膜

releases what is inside it.

會釋出內容

So it allows for the recovery of what we've stored before.

所以我們能重新獲得當初儲存的物質

And so this allows for a controlled delivery of drugs

所以就是一個可控制的藥物釋出

and for reintegration in the environment

能再與週遭相結合

in all of these formats that you've seen.

這些可以以上述的各種形式進行

So the thread of discovery that we have really is a thread.

所以我們發現的線索 也真的就是條線

We're impassioned with this idea that whatever you want to do,

我們全力要做出你們能想出的東西

whether you want to replace a vein or a bone,

是血管 或是骨頭

or maybe be more sustainable in microelectronics,

或是具永續概念的微電子元件

perhaps drink a coffee in a cup

或是可安心丟棄的

and throw it away without guilt,

咖啡杯

maybe carry your drugs in your pocket,

或是可放在皮夾的藥

deliver them inside your body

送入體內

or deliver them across the desert,

或是 帶著越過沙漠

the answer may be in a thread of silk.

這一切就是在這條絲線上

Thank you.

謝謝!

(Applause)

(掌聲)