SGL Group joint venture receives grant for development of high performance precursor

European Precursor GmbH (EPG), a joint venture between SGL Group – The Carbon Company and Lenzing Group, received a Euro 1.5 million grant from the "Bavaria FIT" program under the Bavarian undersecretary of the state of Katja Hessel. EPG received the grant to fund the development of a novel precursor with revised properties.

Due to their unique properties, carbon fibers are in even greater demand as substitutes for traditional materials because of the rising cost of raw materials and energy. In the aerospace and defense industries, particularly high standards are placed on carbon fibers in terms of quality and processing. This is why respective work stages spanning from base polymer to the raw material, to carbon fiber production and the final composite products have to be in alignment. Precursors comprised of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers are the raw material needed for carbon fiber production and important for determining quality.