Chinese and Dutch scientists turn corn to sustainable plastic, inspired by spider silk

Up to 80 per cent of polymers derived from corn protein zein degrade within a month in simulated natural soil conditions, researchers find3-MIN READ3-MIN0ListenPublished: 4:00pm, 22 May 2026Scientists from China and the Netherlands have created a corn protein-based biopolymer with a process inspired by spider silk that could offer a sustainable alternative to plastics based on fossil fuel.“Plant-derived biopolymers may become sustainable alternatives to fossil-based polymers, yet their poor material performance has so far limited their adoption,” the team said in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications on May 11.The scientists, inspired by how spiders spin their biopolymer high-strength silk, used a similar processing mechanism to transform the corn protein “zein” into a biopolymer.01:01Japan’s researchers develop ocean-friendly plastic The resulting “plantymer” fibres and sheets had a rigidity comparable to silk and displayed good moisture and oxygen barrier properties.