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Manufacturing a biomimetic spider silk yarn – a biobased and recyclable super fiber

Description: Modern civilization is at a crossroads to either implement drastic changes to consumption, production of goods, and the materials used or cause irreversible damage to the environment. As a protein-based material and uniting high durability and toughness, spider silk could replace petrol-based materials in high-performance textiles or function as reinforcement in composite materials. However, current artificial spinning protocols rely on the use of harsh and environmentally incompatible chemicals. Sweden is world-leading in the field of producing biomimetic spider silk, a process that ensures sustainable production of spider silk proteins and spinning of the proteins into fibers using mild aqueous buffers. The overall objective of this research proposal is open a gateway for artificial spider silk to become part of a circular economy to provide competitive alternatives to synthetic fibers. I will develop an industrially compatible biomimetic spinning method of artificial spider silk fibers and optimize their recycling process. To accomplish this, I will use multifilament spinning devices to make yarns and develop a scalable spinning method that is compatible with industrial spinning processes while working together with Aalto University on improving the recycling process.

Funder: Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas

Amount: SEK 3,998,000

Funding type: research

Funder scheme: Project grant

Start date: 2024-01-01

End date: 2027-12-31

Investigator: Benjamin Schmuck (lead)

Institution: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Topic: Silk-based biomaterials and applications

Subfield: Biomaterials

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences