Abstract
The cocoon with a unique hierarchy not only provides a space in which the pupa to adult metamorphosis occurs, but also protects the pupa from weather, predators and parasitoids. In this paper, scanning electron microscope (SEM) is adopted to elucidate the basic geometric properties of the cocoon and silk morphology. Tussah cocoon has a special geometric structure, and its silk fibers have shaped morphology. The fractal calculus is also employed to study the cocoon's thermal property. The cocoon's multiple layer hierarchy and the silk's belt-like cross-section guarantee the cocoon has an extremely good thermal insulation. In addition, an experiment is carefully designed to verify the theoretical prediction, and a domestic silkworm cocoon is used for comparison. Both the experimental and theoretical analyses show that the tussah cocoon's special fractal property leads to an extreme good thermal insulation and can be used for biomimetic design for the protective clothing and coatings.
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