Automotive

South Korea's government launched a €30 million R&D program to improve the use of recovered carbon black in tire compounds.

CCIC has launched a pilot line for producing ContRGF fabrics, using recycled carbon fibers for automotive and other applications. A hybrid automotive hood was demonstrated with this material.

McLaren and Mercedes are exploring recycled carbon fibre for F1 components, planning to introduce a carbon fibre composite rear brake duct by 2025.

Recycled supercapacitors with carbon-fiber cathodes maintained performance comparable to original devices through initial fabrication and two recycling cycles.

DASEN Group has expanded its multi-factory network across China and Vietnam, enhancing global supply of graphite sheets and carbon fiber products with coordinated production and R&D facilities.

Researchers in South Korea have created a self-healing waterborne polyurethane coating that shields electronics from electromagnetic interference. The coating repairs damage with heat or near-infrared light.

Automated Fibre Placement and high-pressure resin transfer moulding have made carbon fibre components more viable for mass automotive production, increasing their use in everyday vehicles.

Mitsubishi Chemical has introduced a new series of high-performance carbon fiber prepregs designed for advanced applications.

NIT Rourkela has patented a 3D-reinforced composite technology that boosts Fibre-Reinforced Polymer strength and durability, with potential applications in aerospace and automotive industries.

A company led by Cambridge PhD Liu Zhenyu is advancing carbon nanotube materials for lightweight applications.

Teijin Limited has developed a thermosetting carbon fiber-reinforced plastic with a self-healing function and high recyclability, aiming to provide samples by 2028.

MASTERMATE is advancing carbon fiber NFC technology, enabling premium smart products with seamless digital connectivity for business, luxury, and automotive applications.

Himadri Specialty Chemicals will establish India's first carbon nanotube production facility at its West Bengal complex, with an initial capacity of 200 tons per year, starting commercial production by FY2027.

Mivium is developing high-quality gallium nitride nanopowders to enhance semiconductor performance, while Avadain is licensing technology to produce large-scale, defect-free graphene for industrial applications.

Lyten showcased its 3D graphene technology and high-temperature adhesives, emphasizing their applications in AI data centers.

Lyten and Modovolo have partnered to enhance Modovolo's BFP 3D printing platform with graphene-enhanced PA1205 filament, doubling X-Y tensile strength compared to carbon fiber-based filaments.

SkyDrive has partnered with Airtificial to produce and supply lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastic parts.

Golden Dragon and Ebusco have finished making the first carbon fiber electric bus at Golden Dragon's Longhai facility.

Lyten will supply its PA1205 nylon-based filaments for Modovolo's BFP 3D printing platform, enhancing performance with improved tensile strength and impact resistance over carbon fiber alternatives.

India's first 120-ton-per-annum carbon fibre demonstration plant is being established in Amravati.

Operators can boost profits from tire pyrolysis by refining oil and carbon black into higher-value products. Upgraded materials meet industrial standards, attracting stable buyers and better margins.

SHD Composites' Mooresville facility will increase Cambium's U.S. composites production capacity fourfold.

NanoMalaysia (NMB) is set to begin small-scale production of a graphene-enhanced lithium-ion battery for electric vehicles at its 15,000-square-foot facility in Sepang, Malaysia. By incorporating graphene instead of graphite, the battery aims to triple energy storage capacity, which could significantly enhance the performance of carbon-based materials in EV applications.

Hina Battery is establishing a 2 GWh sodium-ion battery production line in Wuhan to support commercial transport and cargo operations along the Yangtze River. This development is significant as it leverages local carbon resources to reduce reliance on imported lithium, ensuring stable battery supply for heavy-duty vehicles.

HydroGraph has certified Midland Compounding & Consulting (MCC) as a U.S. compounding partner for graphene-enhanced polymer applications. This certification enables MCC to support the development and commercialization of advanced graphene-enhanced materials, focusing on performance improvements and functional enhancements in industrial applications.

Researchers at Florida International University have found that a water sample from the Hillsborough River near downtown Tampa contained 12 nanograms per liter of 6PPD-Q, a toxic chemical from tire wear, exceeding the EPA benchmark of 11 nanograms per liter. This study highlights the potential of using sargassum-based biochar to filter out harmful pollutants, which could protect Florida's aquatic ecosystems from the adverse effects of tire-derived chemicals.

The FURHY project, funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe program, has released three new key exploitable results, including a hybrid nonwoven material combining recycled carbon fiber and hemp fiber, as it enters its final six months. These developments are significant for the advanced carbon materials sector as they aim to create fully recyclable, bio-based composite materials with reduced carbon footprints, targeting applications in automotive and sports industries.

Cygnet Texkimp has introduced a 500-kilogram VHD creel to enhance carbon fiber production efficiency. This advancement is significant for the carbon fiber sector, as it allows for increased production capacity and reduced downtime in manufacturing processes.

A team of University of Central Florida graduates has developed a method to convert seaweed into coatings for carbon fiber and metals at their Lake Nona materials lab. This innovation could enhance the sustainability and functionality of carbon fiber composites used in various industries.

CCIC and UNNC have introduced a recycled carbon fiber manufacturing platform at the SAMPE China 2026 Conference, addressing four major industry challenges including extreme energy use. This innovation is significant for the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sector as it promises to reduce costs and carbon emissions associated with production.

Talbros Automotive Components has formed a joint venture with Lohum Cleantech to create Lohum Talbros CarbonTech Private Limited, focusing on the production of recovered carbon black and devulcanized rubber. This collaboration marks Talbros' strategic move into sustainable automotive materials, leveraging advanced carbon materials like recovered carbon black to support the circular economy.

Integrals Power has been selected as the LMFP supplier for the EU-funded OLiMPUS battery project, which aims for mass production in Europe by 2032. This development is significant for the advanced carbon materials sector as it involves synthetic graphite anodes, which are crucial for reducing the carbon footprint and enhancing the sustainability of battery production.

Bcomp has supplied its AmpliTex biocomposites for BMW's M Concept Neue Klasse. This development highlights the potential of biocomposites as an alternative to carbon fiber, offering advantages in weight, safety, and functionality.

The recovered carbon black (rCB) market, produced by pyrolyzing end-of-life tires, is projected to grow at a 6.4% CAGR from 2023 to 2028, with each ton of rCB saving up to 1.7 tons of CO2 compared to virgin carbon black. Inconsistent output quality and complex regulatory requirements remain the primary barriers limiting broader adoption of rCB as a substitute feedstock in tire, rubber, and carbon materials manufacturing.

Cal Poly Pomona's College of Engineering received a $198,100 grant from the DENSO North America Foundation to fund advanced manufacturing equipment, including a large-scale carbon fiber 3D printer and an industrial multi-material printer, for student use. The addition of industrial-grade carbon fiber 3D printing at the undergraduate level expands hands-on access to composite fabrication technology that is otherwise largely confined to professional industry settings.

OCSiAl has been named a single-wall carbon nanotube supplier to Volkswagen Group's battery subsidiary PowerCo for its Unified Cell platform, with supply coming from OCSiAl's audited production facility in Serbia. The deal extends single-wall carbon nanotube use into a major European automaker's standardized battery platform, where the material serves as a conductive additive in graphite anodes to improve conductivity, heat dissipation, and fast-charging performance.

European semiconductor companies raised substantial funding in 2025, with the ten largest rounds ranging from NXP Semiconductors' €1 billion EIB loan down to IQE's £18 million convertible note, spanning AI chips, photonics, power electronics, memory, and chip cooling. Two graphene-focused companies, Paragraf ($55M Series C) and CamGraPhIC (€25M Series A), secured funding to scale graphene-based electronic devices and graphene silicon photonics respectively, signaling continued investor commitment to graphene's commercial role in semiconductors and optical interconnects.

Zhongfu Shenying commissioned three high-performance carbon fiber production lines in Lianyungang, Jiangsu on June 28, comprising a 1,000-ton/year T1100-grade aerospace line, a 5,000-ton/year 48K large-tow line, and a 600-ton/year M40 high-modulus line, as the first phase of a CNY6 billion project targeting 30,000 tons of annual capacity. The lines expand China's domestic supply of high-grade carbon fiber across aerospace, wind energy, hydrogen storage, and EV applications, reducing reliance on foreign sources for critical materials.

KB-Element will exhibit its non-oxidized graphene products, including graphene masterbatch pellets, at Nano Korea 2026 in Goyang, South Korea, from July 8 to 10. The company's plasma-based exfoliation process cuts production costs to roughly one-tenth of conventional methods, and its masterbatch format addresses graphene's longstanding dispersion challenges in polymer composites.

Shenzhen MASTERMATE Technology Co., Ltd., an ISO 9001-certified carbon fiber OEM/ODM manufacturer founded in 2014, produces custom carbon fiber products including drone frames, automotive parts, helmets, and jewelry for clients in over 100 countries. The company's broad custom manufacturing capabilities across autoclave molding, CNC machining, and forged carbon reflect continued demand for flexible, small-to-mid-scale carbon fiber production partnerships among global brands.

Chinese researchers developed an ultra-black automotive coating combining nanoscale carbon black and carbon nanotubes that absorbs over 99.90% of light, withstands high humidity, and survived 10-day water submersion without visible degradation. The coating demonstrates a scalable production method for carbon nanotube-based finishes with improved adhesion, though long-term scratch, abrasion, and UV durability remain untested.

Terrance Barkan of The Graphene Council published a framework mapping the commercialization maturity journey of graphene through stages from discovery to mature commercialization, identifying nine recurring obstacles including capital access, regulation, standardization, and value chain complexity. The framework positions graphene as approaching proven commercial viability in multiple application areas—including composites, construction materials, and thermal management—while arguing that its "killer application" lies in broad adoption as a performance-enhancing additive across sectors rather than in any single use case.

Sicona Battery Technologies validated 600 Wh/kg energy density in graphene-wrapped silicon anode pouch cells at its Wollongong pilot line, achieving 1,200-cycle retention above 80 percent capacity with a 200 MWh/year scale-up targeted for late 2027. The result advances graphene's role as a structural buffer for silicon anodes, a combination the carbon materials and battery sectors have pursued to overcome silicon's volumetric expansion problem at commercial scale.

CSIC researchers developed an 18-micron graphene-polymer composite separator combining polypropylene with 0.5 wt% reduced graphene oxide, achieving 4x greater puncture resistance and a 60% reduction in thermal-runaway initiation temperatures in lithium-ion batteries. The development advances reduced graphene oxide as a functional additive in battery separators, with pilot-scale production underway alongside a Spanish cell manufacturer targeting NCM-based EV applications.

NeoGraf commissioned a new production line at its Lakewood, Ohio facility, adding 2,000 tonnes per annum of flexible graphite sheet capacity funded by a $38 million investment, bringing its total to 11,000 tonnes per annum. The expansion increases domestic supply of high-purity exfoliated graphite sheets for EV battery thermal management, where the material's in-plane thermal conductivity above 600 W/m·K at low density addresses a critical requirement for North American automotive manufacturers.

HydroGraph added Hubron International, a Manchester-based masterbatch and conductive polymer compounder with over 90 years of experience, to its Fractal Graphene Compounding Partner Program on February 10, 2026. The partnership gives HydroGraph access to Hubron's global distributor network and established carbon nanomaterial processing capabilities, supporting broader commercial adoption of graphene in thermoplastic applications across automotive, electronics, and other sectors.

SK On signed a five-year, $180 million supply contract with Hansolchemical for 4,500 tonnes per annum of graphene additive for NCM811 cathodes, with shipments starting Q1 2027. The deal signals growing industrial-scale demand for graphene as a functional cathode additive in EV batteries, and will require Hansolchemical to expand its Gumi facility beyond its current 1,200 tonne per annum capacity.