The price anchor for specialty textile materials is being redefined. A flexible carbon-based fiber named 'Rouhuo' is priced at 80,000-90,000 RMB per ton, comparable to high-performance aramid, yet it remains non-flammable with zero dripping at 1800°C instantaneous temperatures. Developed by Zhejiang Jili New Materials over seven to eight years, this product is carving a commercial path across fire safety, energy storage, and defense applications.
Technological Iteration and Performance Breakthrough
'Rouhuo' is not a conventional carbon fiber; it is an organic-inorganic hybrid modified carbon fiber intermediate. The first-generation product, 'Carbonron', failed due to insufficient strength, poor abrasion resistance, and black debris shedding. The team was forced to introduce polymer modification at the spinning stage and develop proprietary oil agents and sizing agents. To address the industry-wide challenge of carbon fiber's rigidity and low crimp, which complicates yarn spinning, the company also retrofitted spinning equipment. The iterated 'Rouhuo' shows significantly improved strength and abrasion resistance, laying the groundwork for industrialization.
Development began in 2018, with the company established in 2019. After years of process validation, the firm now possesses a complete material technology package, enabling customized modification at the precursor stage for different downstream applications. This flexible customization capability is a core differentiator from conventional carbon fiber suppliers.
Dual-Track Market Drivers and Divergence
Emergency fire protection is the most mature application for 'Rouhuo'. The material offers excellent flame retardancy, non-combustibility, and fire control, withstanding 1800°C instantaneous temperatures and achieving zero melting and zero dripping. The company participated in drafting the 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, developed protective clothing for firefighting robot dogs with Xiaoshan Lantian Smart, and established partnerships with fire departments in Hubei and Fujian. In live demonstrations, flames from a spray gun directly hit the fabric surface without igniting or melting.
The new energy sector presents even broader potential. The material can be used in energy storage equipment, EV chassis, seats, and storage motors. In overseas markets, the company exports battery fire-proof packs to Japan, where mandatory standards following frequent power bank explosion incidents have driven demand. In contrast, China's domestic emergency fire protection is policy-driven, but corresponding mandatory regulations are not yet in place, so similar products have not seen widespread adoption. This policy time lag suggests that the domestic market may boom later than overseas, but it also offers a window for early movers.
Cost Bottleneck and Industrial Chain Collaboration
Despite its performance, 'Rouhuo' faces two glaring weaknesses: high cost and limited color options. At 80,000-90,000 RMB per ton, it is acceptable in price-insensitive specialty fields like fire protection and defense, but prohibitive for civilian applications such as curtains, sofas, and hotel carpets. The team acknowledges that no material is perfect and continuous iteration is necessary to meet real market needs.
Notably, the company is actively collaborating with local carbon fiber precursor manufacturers in Shaoxing to promote supply chain synergy, and uses the 'AI Cloth' mini-program for industry information and resource matching. Digital tools help mitigate information asymmetry in R&D and demand-supply matching. The company is currently applying for the China National Textile and Apparel Council Science and Technology Progress Award and is in talks with two pre-IPO energy storage companies for financing, aiming to accelerate technology iteration and market expansion with industrial capital.