English

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Etymology

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From super- +‎ contraction.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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supercontraction (plural supercontractions)

  1. The contraction (by up to 50%) of spider dragline silk in high humidity
    • 2015 December 22, “In Vitro Evaluation of Spider Silk Meshes as a Potential Biomaterial for Bladder Reconstruction”, in PLOS ONE[1], →DOI:
      The demonstration that in an in vivo fascia replacement model supercontraction can be overcome by suturing the silk mesh into a defect before releasing it from the frame, encourages the in vivo use of spider silk without the presence of a supporting scaffold.
  2. The contraction of textile fibres when treated with heat etc.