人造蜘蛛丝：比丝绸更好穿的新面料

    在加州大学旧金山分校攻读生物化学和工程博士学位时，丹•维德梅尔、大卫•布雷斯劳尔和伊桑•米尔斯基对使用结网蜘蛛的蛋白纤维（即所谓的蜘蛛丝）制造人造丝的想法产生了浓厚的兴趣。实际上，蜘蛛丝的强度是钢筋的5倍，比人造纤维Kevlar还要更加坚韧。

    从2009年起，这几位博士生就着手研发一项不需要蜘蛛就能制造这类蛋白的技术。经过多年的秘密研发和生产，Bolt Threads公司终于推出了利用专利工程技术织成的丝织品，并宣布进行3230万美元的B轮融资。

    在Foundation Capital的引领下，Formation 8和Founders Fund等公司相继为这轮融资买单。该公司目前的融资总额已经超过4000万美元。

    Bolt Threads利用专利技术制造出一种工程丝纤维，这种丝纤维基于蜘蛛丝中发现的蛋白质，可大规模生产制造。

    在科学的角度上解释，Bolt实际上是解析了蜘蛛的DNA，用其他成分复制那些基因序列，从而创造出了一种相似的丝纤维。

    Bolt丝纤维的主要成分包括糖、水、盐和酵母。结合在一起，这些成分就能够生成一种液体丝蛋白。通过一项名为“湿纺”的工艺，这种液体可以转变成纤维，其制造方法类似于腈纶和人造棉。

    将其放在显微镜下观察，你会发现Bolt工程丝纤维的化学成分与蜘蛛或蚕制造的动物丝一模一样。

    维德梅尔解释道，Bolt生产的丝织品不仅拥有与传统丝织品类似的特征，比如保暖、质感柔软，而且更便于清洗和穿着。比如说，你不必使用干洗，因为它的坚韧度足以经受洗衣机。该公司正与北卡罗莱纳州的纺织品厂商合作，以大批量生产这种面料。

    Bolt并不是唯一一家试图大批量生产蜘蛛丝的公司。日本初创公司Spiber也在营销一种类似的纤维。此外，德国公司Amsilk正在开发一种商用蜘蛛丝。

    Bolt公司将利用新募集到的资金来增加这种丝织品的产量，进一步提高它的商品化。（财富中文网）

    译者：严匡正

    审校：任文科

    While in UC San Francisco’s PhD biochemistry and engineering program, Dan Widmaier, David Breslauer and Ethan Mirsky became fascinated with the idea of creating man-made silk from the protein fibers in the webs spiders make, called spider silk. In fact, spider silk is known to be five times stronger than steel, and tougher than man made fabric Kevlar.

    The PhD students set out in 2009 to create a technology that makes these proteins without using spiders. After years in stealth research and production, Bolt Threads is finally debuting its proprietary engineered silk, along with announcing a new $32.3 million round in Series B funding.

    Foundation Capital led the round, which included new investors Formation 8 and Founders Fund. The company has raised a total of $40 million.

    Bolt Threads uses proprietary technologies to create engineered silk fibers based on proteins found in spider silk that can be produced at commercial scale.

    At a scientific level, Bolt actually examines the DNA of spiders and then replicates those genetic sequences in other ingredients to create a similar silk fiber.

    Bolt’s silk is made primarily of sugar, water, salts and yeast, which combined makes a liquid silk protein. Through a process called wet spinning, this liquid is spun into fiber, similar to the way fibers like acrylic and rayon are made.

    If you look under a microscope, says the company, Bolt’s engineered silk fibers have the exact same chemistry as naturally occurring animal silks from spiders or silk worms.

    Widmaier explains that the silk fabric created by Bolt has similar qualities to conventional silk in that it will provide warmth, and a softer feel, but will be easier to wash and wear. For example, you won’t have to dry clean Bolt’s silk because it will have the durability to be washed in a machine. The company is working with textile manufacturers in North Carolina to commercially scale production of the fabric.

    Bolt isn’t the only company to try to create spider silk at mass. Japanese startup Spiber is marketing a similar fiber. German company Amsilk is also developing commercial grad spider silk.

    The company will be using the new funding to expand production and commercialization of its silk fabric.