Mars Materials and North Carolina State University have developed a carbon fiber precursor made from captured industrial CO2. The material, called Hoigen-C, can be spun into precursor fiber on standard commercial equipment, meaning manufacturers can adopt it without new machinery. The process avoids hydrogen cyanide, a toxic byproduct of conventional precursor production. The breakthrough addresses a supply chain gap, since the US imports most carbon fiber precursor from overseas. Applications include military aircraft, combat vehicles, motorsports, and high-strength power line cores that could help modernize the grid. The project is backed by Breakthrough Energy Fellows and Shell GameChanger.
