Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, a leading developer of spider silk based fibres, has announced that it is now working to create a set of new custom designed transgenic silkworms under its contract with the US Army.
The company says it is working with material performance objectives, defined by the customer, to develop entirely new genetically enhanced silkworm strains. “This project is an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate the incredible potential and power of engineered silk,” said COO Jon Rice.
These new silk polymers will be evaluated against defined performance requirements and the best performing materials will be scaled up to produce upwards of 100kgs of silk thread.
The company expects the new strains to complement its Dragon Silk fibres, but, with an eye on additional targeted applications, the fibres will be designed to generate even higher tensile strength. As a result, these new enhanced fibres should provide outstanding performance in protective textile applications.
