Zoltek's application is titled Development and Commercialization of a Novel Low Cost Carbon Fiber.
This notification was part of a larger announcement by DOE Secretary Dr Steven Chu regarding awards of more than $175 million for Advanced Vehicle Research and Development.
Weyerhaeuser Company is Zoltek's joint development partner in the project.
Zoltek has been working with Weyerhaeuser for 18 months developing a novel low cost route to carbon fibre using a lignin / PAN hybrid precursor.
"Combining this unique precursor technology with improvements in operating and energy efficiencies for carbon conversion will provide lower cost carbon fibre for automotive and other applications," says George Husman, Chief Technology Officer at Zoltek.
