In India, a study conducted by researchers in India and South Korea indicates that tasar silk is a better biomaterial than mulberry silk due to its ability to handle higher temperatures and its greater strength. The study looked at the two silks produced by wild moth species and found that not only did tasar silk have stronger and more resilient properties, it also was coarser and had a more distinctive color than mulberry silk. This is good news for those using silk in drug delivery, electronic appliances and sensors as tasar silk is actually cheaper than mulberry silk.
Researchers told APN, “Understanding structure, form and thermal properties of the silks produced by caterpillar moths helps us understand why these fibres react or behave in a certain way. Our findings may be useful in developing new varieties of protein fibres and designing artificial structures which can help humans.”