Synthetic spider silk is most versatile material and exhibits high tensile strength, which is used for textiles, coatings, and cosmetics. Synthetic spider silk finds its application in wear-resistant lightweight clothing, bullet-proof clothing, ropes, seat belts, parachutes, biodegradable bottles, bandages, nets, rust-free panels on motor vehicles or boats, surgical thread artificial tendons or ligaments, and supports for weak blood vessels. Spider silk has an impressive combination of extensibility (breaking strain) and high strength (breaking stress), which results in its superior toughness. The materials also has exceptional flexibility.
Its mechanical properties and biocompatibility are incomparable with those of other natural and artificial materials. Spider silk is rich in glycine and alanine, and the protein molecules containing alanine are tightly arranged and crystalline, making it extremely strong. Synthetic spider silk's properties mean it is flexible and strong enough to be used in surgical sutures, artificial ligaments, and cell scaffolds for tissue repair. These fibers are waterproof and have tensile strength similar to that of steel, and thus, they are widely used in defense, textiles, and health care for wide variety of applications.
Moreover, in the automotive industry, synthetic silk is used in airbags, athletic gears, and tire cords, among others. Thus, there is an increasing demand for synthetic spider silk in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, owing to the rapid growth of the automotive industry in India, China, and Japan. According to India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), in 2020, India was the fifth-largest auto market, with ~3.49 million units combined sold in the passenger and commercial vehicles categories. It was the seventh largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in 2019.
Moreover, in April 2021, a Japanese startup developed a strong, lightweight and biodegradable material inspired by spider silk is set to begin full-fledged production in Thailand. Synthetic spider silk is one of the strongest biomaterials, which is flexible and stronger than the Kevlar (a heat-resistant and strong synthetic fiber).
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