RMX Technologies, Knoxville, Tennessee, and the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have signed an exclusive licensing agreement for the new technology, which significantly reduces the time and energy required for carbon fiber production.
Reducing costs and expanding the use of high-strength, lightweight carbon fiber will increase the energy efficiency of products including cars, trucks and aircraft without sacrificing safety.
ORNL / RMX plasma processing technology is a new method for the oxidation stage of carbon fiber production, in which the polymer material is oxidized (or stabilized) before carbonization. During the oxidation process, the thermoplastic precursor is converted into a thermosetting material that cannot be remelted. Oxidation is the most time-consuming phase of the multi-step carbon fiber conversion process.
"In traditional systems, oxidation usually takes 80 to 120 minutes," said Felix Paul Scars, co-inventor of ORNL. "We found a way to reduce the time by 2.5 to 3 times, so we can process the fiber in 25 to 35 minutes." Compared with traditional oxidation technology, the team's plasma oxidation technology reduced unit energy consumption by 75%, And reduce production costs by 20%, while maintaining or improving the final carbon fiber quality. Plasma oxidation can be used to produce all grades of carbon fiber from low-end industrial to high-end aerospace grades.
Eight years ago, Paulauskas developed the scientific concept of the plasma oxidation method and collaborated with RMX Technologies to develop a prototype and demonstrate the technology on a laboratory scale. In 2014, RMX built a 1-ton plasma oxidation furnace at its plant, and transitioned from development to scale and commercialization the following year.
"We are commercializing this technology with our industrial partners to make low-cost carbon fiber and create high-quality jobs," said Rodney Grubb, president of RMX Technologies. "Through our cooperation with ORNL, we have demonstrated 75% energy savings, we produce high-quality optical fibers, and the equipment takes up less than half the space. One of our carbon fiber production partners told us," Plasma oxidation is no longer a scientific program . This technique works well. "Grubb said that the company is in the process of quoting with its commercial partner CA carbon fiber production equipment maker CA Litzler and expects to sell its first plasma oxidation furnace in 2017. RMX subsidiary 4M Industrial Oxidation will jointly manufacture and license the technology and Lizler.
"The commercialization of this technology can accelerate the use of carbon fiber in the automotive industry and expand into other areas where strong and lightweight materials will bring benefits," said Truman Bonds, vice president of research and development at RMX Technologies. The US Department of Energy's Vehicle Technology Office funds ORNL research on carbon fiber plasma oxidation.
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