Airbus Partners with AMSilk for development of next-gen aerospace composite fibers

As the aerospace industry continues to move away from metal and steel fuselages and wings, adopting carbon fiber as a means to reduce and thus reduce fuel consumption, Aerobus, a leader in this change in construction materials has now teamed up with AMSilk to explore the potential use of Biosteel® fiber.

Biosteel® fiber is identical in molecular composition to spider silk, a material known for its strength, flexibility and lightweight structure and Airbus is the first in the aerospace industry to experiment with this new material which will enable the aerospace giant to approach the design and construction of planes in a totally new way.
The intention is to produce a new composite material incorporating Biosteel® fiber which will have additional shock resistance and flexibility. AMSilk produces Biosteel® fiber through a closed-loop biotechnological process that renders the product highly sustainable, with no petroleum inputs.

Through this joint cooperation agreement, the two companies are hoping to produce the first prototype composite in 2019.

Commenting on the joint venture, Jens Klein, CEO of AMSilk said: “We are excited to be working with Airbus, the world leader in performance airplanes, to create a fundamentally new material. 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.”