For millions of years spiders have been spinning naturally occurring proteins into an incredibly strong and durable silk. By studying the anatomy of these arachnids, scientists in the UK have cracked the code to reassembling natural proteins creating a new alternative to plastic. Pioneering research company Xampla says that its supramolecular engineered protein is fully biodegradable and can be shaped in any format, making it an ideal replacement for single use plastic and microplastics. 

The timing is crucial. Policy makers are seeking new ways to stop over 8 millions of tonnes of plastic being dumped into oceans every year. Microplastics are being discovered everywhere affecting ecosystems in ways that are potentially so catastrophic that the EU is about to ban the deliberate addition of microplastics into any new products. 

Guests

Simon Hombersley, CEO, Xampla

Professor Tuomas Knowles, Scientific Advisor and Co-Founder Xampla and Professor of Physical Chemistry and Biophysics, University of Cambridge. 

The post #109 Spiders Versus Plastic first appeared on Engineering Matters.