Carbon nanofibers (CNF) are ultrathin, pure carbon fibers that are ten times stronger than steel. CNFs have multiple markets due to their strength enhancement and electrical and thermal conductivity properties. Three key market segments are construction materials (cement), lithium-ion batteries (LiB), and plastic composites. However, CNF use has been limited due to high costs and carbon emissions during manufacture.
This project will advance Carbonova’s patented, scalable catalytic process to generate high-purity CNF using two greenhouse gases, CO2 and methane, resulting in a step-change reduction in cost and energy usage, while consuming CO2 and ensuring sustainability.
Carbonova’s reactor technology is currently at TRL6, with a pilot plant operating at a nameplate capacity of 0.5 t/yr. This plant produces CNF material for customers’ critical-to-quality (CTQ) assessments and gathers data to scale up the technology. The next step in Carbonova’s technical and commercial development is to design, build, and operate a 25 t/yr commercial demonstration unit (CDU) to reduce risks associated with scaling the technology and to meet current and future customer demand for CNF. The CNF will be used to produce high-performance industrial composite materials in the basic chemical manufacturing sector in Alberta, with plans to expand beyond Alberta into other parts of Canada, North America, and select global markets.