From Thin Air to Fighter Jets: A New American Way to Make Carbon Fiber

Mars Materials, Inc. and North Carolina State University successfully validated a CO2-derived precursor for carbon fiber manufacturing.

Mars Materials, Inc. PBC ("MM" or the "Company"), a public benefit corporation working to store captured carbon dioxide into everyday products, announced a major manufacturing breakthrough. Working with textile experts at The Textile Innovation Engine of North Carolina and North Carolina State University (NC State), Mars Materials has successfully turned its CO2-derived product into a high-quality raw material for making carbon fiber.

The joint study proved that Mars Materials’ carbon-negative product works exactly like the traditional chemical today made from oil and coal. In its very first test, the product met the strict standards needed for high-performance carbon fiber: the kind used in airplanes, transmission lines, and cars.

"This result keeps a promise we made to our investors and the industry," said Aaron Fitzgerald, CEO and Co-Founder of Mars Materials. "We proved we can make carbon fiber from the air without losing any quality. Just as we did with our water-soluble polymers, getting it right on the first try allows us to move faster. We can now focus on scaling up production to accelerate bringing manufacturing of this critical material back to the U.S."

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How They Proved It

The testing was done by Dr. Januka Budhathoki-Uprety and her research team at the NC State Wilson College of Textiles. Researchers took Mars Materials’ product, called Hoigen-C, and turned it into polyacrylonitrile (PAN), the sole ingredient for carbon fiber. They tested it and found it was chemically identical to the version made from oil and coal.

"The chemical structure and molecular weight are similar to commercial PAN," said Dr. Ericka Ford, Associate Professor at NC State. "It is definitely a drop-in because you can add in any co-monomer that you want. For carbon fiber manufacturers looking to reduce their carbon footprint, this validates a viable pathway."

This validation opens a critical domestic supply line for major carbon fiber buyers like the United States Department of Defense (DoD), who use the material in key applications for defense and aerospace. The old, polluting way of making carbon fiber relies on a volatile global supply chain and creates toxic waste. Mars Materials’ method to PAN uses captured CO2, is hydrogen cyanide-free, and ensures a secure North American supply chain.

With the chemistry solved, the focus now shifts to spinning fiber and planning for mass production. Interested commercial partners and funders are encouraged to contact Mars Materials to discuss partnerships.

About Mars Materials

Mars Materials, Inc. PBC ("MM") is a Houston, TX-based, venture- and Breakthrough Energy Fellows-backed carbon dioxide utilization startup. MM transforms carbon into products that purify water and makes materials such as carbon fiber. The company has the only hydrogen cyanide-free and carbon-negative pathway to be validated by global industry.

www.marsmaterials.tech

About The Textile Innovation Engine

The Textile Innovation Engine, led by The Industrial Commons, aims to renew the U.S. textile industry to lead in global technological innovation, drive economic growth, create quality jobs, and safeguard the fabric of the nation.

The Textile Engine advances the competitiveness of the U.S. textile industry through research, development, and commercialization of next-generation materials and processes to extend product life, protect the supply chain, and rebuild the industry workforce for future needs.

textileinnovationengine.org