Iowa State Researchers Developed Biobased Carbon Fiber

A new low-cost manufacturing method aims to scale carbon fiber production using sustainable biobased materials.

Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Materials Science

Iowa State Researchers Developed Biobased Carbon Fiber

Live Poll

Do you believe domestic biobased manufacturing will successfully lower the cost of high-performance goods?

Researchers at Iowa State University have created a cost-effective way to produce carbon fiber from softwood kraft lignin and bio-oil. The new process drops manufacturing costs to under $5 per pound while maintaining structural integrity.

Why it matters

Current carbon fiber relies on expensive petroleum-based precursors that limit industrial adoption. This innovation could lower barriers for widespread use in manufacturing by making high-performance materials more affordable.

The production process achieves a tensile modulus of up to 236 gigapascals and reduces stabilization time for spun fiber to two to four hours. The team utilized a thermo-mechanochemistry process to modify non-softening lignin into melt-spinnable precursors.

The players

Iowa State University

This public research university in Ames, Iowa, serves as the primary hub for the current carbon fiber research and development.

National Science Foundation

This federal agency supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering.

Harper International

This New York-based company serves as a key industrial collaborator in the development of the new carbon fiber technology.

Latis Materials

This Maine-based organization provides industrial expertise and partnership to assist in the scaling of the research project.

The details

By using watery bio-oil and mechanical stress to alter chemical structures, the team created a more efficient path for carbon fiber synthesis. The process simplifies the conversion of raw plant-based components into high-strength fibers suitable for commercial applications.

Japanese researchers began exploring lignin-based carbon fiber production in the 1960s.
The current research group began investigating biobased production in 2015.
The National Science Foundation grant will support the project over a four-year period.

Chemistry
Oct. 7
Ames National Laboratory Secured DOE Funding
Safety
Sept. 30
Ames Will Promote Battery Safety This October
City Hall
Oct. 14
Ames Council Advanced Ten Urban Renewal Plans

The Big Picture

This development advances the field by moving beyond the foundational 1960s lignin-based carbon fiber research that originally sought sustainable alternatives. It bridges the gap between lab-scale experimentation and continuous commercial production by solving the cost limitations of traditional petroleum-based precursors.

This breakthrough could lead to cheaper, lighter, and more durable consumer products like automobiles and sports equipment. If successfully scaled, it may decrease the reliance on expensive synthetic fibers in global supply chains.

The takeaway

Sustainable bio-based manufacturing is becoming a viable alternative to petroleum-reliant processes for high-performance materials. Industry observers expect this shift to prioritize cost-reduction methods that allow for rapid scaling across the construction and automotive sectors.

What happens next

The research team will use the four-year funding window to transition from current lab-based batch production to continuous commercial manufacturing processes.