In an interview with Parc Científic, Mario Culebras discussed the Carbowave project—an innovative Horizon Europe initiative aimed at revolutionizing carbon fibre production through advanced microwave heating technology. Traditional PAN (polyacrylonitrile) fibres exhibit low microwave absorption; however, the Carbowave project has developed cutting-edge nanostructured coatings that utilize susceptor-induced microheating to overcome this challenge.
This breakthrough enables a more efficient and continuous carbon fibre conversion process, significantly reducing both environmental impact and production costs by up to 70%. The project has already achieved proof of concept, with promising results published in Advanced Hybrid and Composite Materials. It is now progressing toward scaling the technology to higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).
Carbowave unites a strong consortium of nine partners: five industry leaders, two research centres, and two universities. Together, they are working to deliver a greener, more cost-effective future for carbon fibre manufacturing.