Airbus partners with AMSilk on synthetic spider silk technology

AMSilk (Planegg, Germany), the world’s first industrial supplier of synthetic silk biopolymers, announced on Sept. 12 a partnership with Airbus (Toulouse, France). The two companies have entered into a joint cooperation agreement to develop the new era of composites for use in the aerospace industry.

Airbus, who has been one of the aerospace industry’s leaders in experimenting with carbon fiber composite materials, intends to explore how AMSilk’s Biosteel fiber can allow them to approach the design and construction of their planes in an entirely new way.

The new composite material will be built using AMSilk’s Biosteel fiber technology, which enables lightweight construction with multiple shock resistance and flexibility.

Biosteel fiber is made from a biopolymer based on natural spider silk, a material known for its strength, flexibility and toughness. AMSilk produces the fiber through a closed-loop biotechnological process that renders the product highly sustainable, with no petroleum inputs.

“We are excited to be working with Airbus, the world leader in performance airplanes, to create a fundamentally new material,” says Jens Klein, CEO of AMSilk. “At AMSilk, we are committed to producing materials that are both high-performing and sustainable, and the current partnership with Airbus is an opportunity to set a new, stronger and more sustainable course for the entire aerospace industry.”

The two companies are aiming to launch a prototype composite material in 2019.