LONDON, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Researchers have engineered a super stretchy, strong and sustainable material that mimics the qualities of spider silk without high energy procedures or extensive use of harmful solvents.

The fibers designed by a team from the University of Cambridge are spun from a soupy material called hydrogel, which is 98 percent water and another two percent silica and cellulose, according to a recent report on the journal of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The chemical interactions between the different components enable long fibers to be pulled from the gel after roughly 30 seconds as the water evaporates, the report said on Monday.

The synthesized silk can "support stresses in the range of 100 to 150 megapascals," said Dr Darshil Shah of the University, co-author of the report.

In addition to its strength, the fibers also show very high damping capacity, meaning that they can absorb large amounts of energy like "a bungee cord," the University reported.

Spider silk is one of nature's strongest materials and scientists have been attempting to mimic its properties for a range of applications.

The new fibers can be used to make special textiles or sensors, the report said. Enditem

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