RMX Technologies, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory ("ORNL") have signed a proprietary licensing agreement for a new technology that can significantly reduce the carbon fiber production required Time and energy.
Reducing the cost of high-strength and lightweight carbon fiber and expanding its application range can improve the energy efficiency of various transportation vehicles, including cars, trucks and aircraft, without affecting safety.
ORNL / RMX plasma treatment technology is a new method used in the oxidation stage of carbon fiber production. In this stage, the polymer material is oxidized or stabilized before carbonization.
During the oxidation process, the thermoplastic precursor is transformed into a thermosetting material that no longer melts when heated. Oxidation is the most time-consuming process in the multi-step carbon fiber conversion process.
"In traditional production systems, oxidation usually takes 80 to 120 minutes." Explains Felix Paulauskas, co-inventor of ORNL, "We have found a way to reduce the time by 2 to 3 times, so we can use 25 to 35 minutes to process the fibers. "
Compared with the traditional oxidation technology, the team's plasma oxidation technology reduced unit energy consumption by 75% and reduced production costs by 20%, while maintaining or improving the quality of the carbon fiber produced.
Plasma oxidation can be used to produce various grades of carbon fiber, from low-end industrial grades to high-end aerospace grades.
Paulauskas developed the scientific concept for the plasma oxidation method 8 years ago, then developed a prototype with RMX Technologies and validated the technology in the laboratory.
In 2014, RMX Technologies built a 1t plasma oxidation furnace in its factory, and began in the second year, moving from the development stage to the scale and commercialization stage.
"We are working with our industry partners to commercialize this technology to make low-cost carbon fiber and create more quality jobs," said Rodney Grubb, president of RMX Technologies. "By working with ORNL, we have Proven that this technology can save 75% of energy. We made a high-quality fiber, and the equipment took up less than half of the space. One of our carbon fiber production partners told us that plasma oxidation is no longer A science project, this technology is feasible. "
Grubb said the company offered a quote to its business partner, C.A. Litzler, a manufacturer of carbon fiber production equipment, to sell its first plasma oxidation furnace.
4M Industrial Oxidation, a subsidiary of RMX Technologies, will jointly participate in manufacturing and will license C.A. Litzler to apply the technology.
"The commercialization of this technology can accelerate the application of carbon fiber in the automotive industry and expand to other applications that benefit from high-strength lightweight materials," said Truman Bonds, vice president of research and development at RMX Technologies.
The US Department of Energy's Vehicle Technology Office has provided funding for ORNL's research on carbon fiber plasma oxidation technology.