MIT researchers have developed silk-based substitute for microplastics.
Thus the search is on for viable substitutes. , and other scientists, have devised a silk-based device that could be cheap and easy to make. The novel approach is
Silk is harmless and degrades naturally in the body, making it suitable for food or medical use. In lab testing, the researchers showed that the silk-based coating material could be utilized in existing spray-based manufacturing machinery to manufacture a water-soluble microencapsulated herbicide product, which was then tested on a corn crop in a greenhouse. Liu believes it worked better than a commercial treatment, causing less plant damage.
Liu claims the new process can utilize low-grade silk that is usually wasted since it has no uses. It can also employ used silk, diverting it from landfills.