Spider Silk: Why Can't We Make It Yet?

The properties of spider silk are truly impressive. It has a resistance similar to steel, but its density gives it a considerable advantage, and it can absorb a large amount of energy before breaking. So, what are we waiting for? If we manage to synthesize and/or mass produce spider silk, its benefits would reach multiple fields and revolutionary products. The problem is that we've spent decades trying to solve that puzzle, and it presents a challenge as formidable as the silk itself…

Sericulture, or silkworm farming, has more than five thousand years of history. Available numbers suggest that annual silk production reaches 200,000 metric tons, which translates into a market not to be underestimated. However, there is another living being with a silk that could give rise to a whole new industry: the spider. In general, people do not tolerate being near one very well, but the fascinating properties of its silk make us put any phobia in the background. Spider silk carries the potential to replace steel and plastic in multiple applications. All we need is to mass produce it…

… a task that is far from easy. The first barrier lies in the very nature of spiders. On the one hand, the amount of silk they produce is not very large, and on the other, they need a lot of space to spread their webs. At the same time, spiders often use silk as food when prey is scarce, or when an invasive spider tries to sabotage its rival. That leads us to a critical detail: Spiders are very territorial, and cases of cannibalism are well documented.

Furthermore, the creation of silk itself is complex. Spiders store a series of proteins called spidroins in the form of a solution. As this solution travels through a duct in the spider's abdomen, the spidroins form chains and secondary structures. Other processes also occur in the duct, such as ion exchange, acidification, and water removal. Once the substance reaches the spinning valve, it finishes drying and transforms into fiber. In other words, we must learn to produce, convert, and spin the original solution. Taking it directly from spiders is not practical due to volume, and using bacteria as a substitute in production yields inferior results. Are we close? Yes, but we need to replicate the method 100 percent, and then increase its scale. No giant radioactive spiders, if possible.