In the specialty textile sector, the journey from lab to industrialization often spans a decade. Zhejiang Jili New Material Co., Ltd.'s flexible carbon-based fiber brand 'Rouhuo' has evolved over eight years from its first-generation product 'Carbonlon' to an improved version, now priced at 80,000-90,000 CNY per ton, directly competing with high-performance aramid. This price point means it cannot enter the mass consumer market in the short term, yet it has found a foothold in professional applications such as firefighting and new energy.
Background
'Rouhuo' is not ordinary carbon fiber; it is an organic-inorganic hybrid modified carbon fiber intermediate. Its R&D traces back to 2018, with the company officially established in 2019. The core team members come from Donghua University, Jiangnan University, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, and other textile institutions, holding doctoral and master's degrees. The first-generation product 'Carbonlon' exposed issues such as insufficient strength, poor abrasion resistance, and black debris shedding, prompting the team to introduce polymer modification during the spinning stage of carbon fiber precursor, and to independently develop specialized oil agents and sizing agents. They also modified spinning equipment to address the industry-wide challenge of carbon fiber's rigidity, low crimp, and difficulty in yarn formation.
The key to this technical path lies in 'customized modification at the precursor stage'—the company holds a complete set of material technology packages, allowing formula adjustments during spinning based on downstream application scenarios, rather than relying on post-processing remedies. This forward-thinking R&D approach gives its products inherent advantages in flame retardancy, non-combustibility, and fire control. According to industry public data, the material can withstand instantaneous temperatures up to 1800°C, with zero melting and zero melt-drip, exhibiting excellent flame-retardant properties.
Industry Impact
'Rouhuo' currently focuses on emergency firefighting. The company participated in the drafting of an industry standard for new energy vehicle fire control blankets led by the China Fire Protection Association, supplied firefighting suit fabrics to Heilongjiang forest fire departments, collaborated with Xiaoshan Lantian Zhihui to develop firefighting robot dog and robot protective clothing, and established business cooperation with fire departments in Hubei and Fujian. In live fire demonstrations, direct flame from a spray gun onto the fabric surface did not ignite the material, nor did it show melting or melt-drip, demonstrating non-combustibility.
Notably, there is a significant difference in demand drivers between domestic and overseas markets. In overseas markets, the company mainly exports battery fire-proof bags to Japan, where frequent charging-bank explosion incidents have led to mandatory standards, driving demand. In contrast, the domestic emergency firefighting market is largely policy-driven, with corresponding mandatory regulations not yet in place, so similar products have not been widely adopted. This implies that the domestic volume growth of 'Rouhuo' will largely depend on when industry standards become mandatory.
In the new energy sector, the material can be applied to energy storage equipment, new energy vehicle chassis, seats, and energy storage motors. The company is currently in talks with two quasi-listed energy storage companies for financing cooperation, leveraging industrial capital to accelerate technology iteration. Additionally, high-temperature-resistant labor protective gloves, home curtains, sofas, hotel carpets, and other civilian applications have potential but face promotion difficulties due to high costs. Defense and military applications such as special protective clothing, chemical protective suits, and protective hoods are also potential directions.
Practical Advice
For buyers, when selecting such new carbon-based fiber materials, it is essential not to look only at the per-ton price but to evaluate the total lifecycle cost. Taking 'Rouhuo' as an example, its 80,000-90,000 CNY per ton price is higher than ordinary carbon fiber, but if it can significantly enhance safety levels and durability in high-value scenarios like firefighting and new energy, the overall cost-effectiveness may outperform traditional flame-retardant materials. It is recommended that buyers request third-party flame-retardant test reports and conduct on-site inspections of the stability of the precursor modification process.