HS Hyosung Advanced Materials is accelerating the development of environmentally friendly high-performance carbon fiber.
HS Hyosung Advanced Materials noted on the 21st that it has succeeded in polymerizing environmentally friendly bio acrylonitrile (ACN), made from plant-based raw materials, into 100% bio-based polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with the help of U.S. chemical technology startup Trillium.
Acrylonitrile is a chemical used to make plastics or fibers, and is utilized in carbon fiber, ABS plastic, synthetic fibers, and rubber products. Polyacrylonitrile is a plastic component made by combining acrylonitrile. It is used in aerospace, automotive, and golf clubs.
This test is significant as it demonstrated the ability to produce high-performance carbon fiber using Trillium's bio acrylonitrile instead of conventional petroleum-based propylene raw materials. Producing high-performance carbon fiber from plant-based raw materials is known to reduce the carbon footprint by approximately 15-25% compared to existing methods.
Seong Nak-yang, representative of HS Hyosung Advanced Materials, said, "Our goal is not only to commercialize 100% bio-based carbon fiber but also to convert all petrochemical materials we use into environmentally friendly and bio products," and added, "We aim to establish ourselves as a global leader in the eco-friendly advanced materials industry."