Featured

Stretch broken carbon fiber (SBCF)

Technology

In development

University

A manufacturing technology using short, aligned ~1.5-inch carbon fibers that is up to 100x more formable than continuous carbon fiber while keeping high strength and stiffness, enabling deep-draw compression molding without autoclaves.

Background

Traditional continuous carbon fiber composites deliver excellent strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios but struggle with forming complex shapes and require expensive manufacturing methods. Chopped fiber gains formability but sacrifices performance. SBCF promised to bridge this gap but faced manufacturing hurdles—inconsistent fiber breakage, poor alignment, and lack of scalable equipment prevented widespread adoption and integration with standard processes.

Description

MSU's technology uses short, aligned fibers (approx. 1.5 inches) while maintaining the strength of continuous carbon fiber. The material enables complex geometries, deep draws, and eliminates autoclave requirements through rapid compression molding. Two proprietary methods—Direct to Prepreg and Single Tow—support scalable manufacturing in prepreg and tow formats compatible with existing processes. The system operates at TRL 6, validated through Army-funded trials.

Illustrative Applications

Automotive (chassis, EV battery enclosures), consumer electronics (device chassis), industrial robotics (manipulator arms), and aerospace/defense (airframe components, engine nacelles).

Benefits

Up to 100x greater formability than traditional carbon fiber, maintains high strength and stiffness, replaces metal substructures reducing corrosion, validated at TRL 6.

Opportunity

Technology with pending patents available for licensing and commercialization, with collaboration options through MSU SBCF experts.

About Montana State University

Montana State University's substantial research enterprise growth has been accompanied by focused investments in innovation and research translation, creating new opportunities for companies to engage with MSU research and expertise. A particular strength is MSU’s network of specialized centers, institutes, and industry-accessible core facilities, which bring together multidisciplinary expertise, advanced research infrastructure, testing capabilities, and established pathways for working with industry partners. MSU is one of a select group of universities participating in the NSF's Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program, which is building the capacity and infrastructure needed to translate more research discoveries into solutions with real-world impact. The growing MSU Innovation Campus and expanding incubator infrastructure provide additional opportunities for university-industry interaction, startup development, and technology-focused companies. These efforts are complemented by MSU’s Technology Transfer Office, which works with researchers and companies to protect and license MSU inventions and facilitate industry-sponsored research collaborations.