Helium Ion Microscopy and Sectioning of Spider Silk

Figure 3

HIM of a MiS fiber cut in half by He⁺ ion sputtering. (a) HIM image of a MiS fiber before breaking. (b) An image of the fiber stretching. (c) Further zoom in on (b), showing the individual fibrils being stretched (orange arrow), causing deformation in the base of the fibril (red arrow). (d) The fiber after breaking—image at 48 degrees. (e) Zoom in on the inner surface of the broken fiber at a 38 degree angle. (f) Further zoom in on the surface (38 degree angle) of the broken fiber, showing the stretched fibril material (orange arrow), the deformed fibril base (red arrow) that becomes wider at the bottom of the fiber (dashed red arrow), and the stacking of the fibrils (blue arrow).

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