Biorenewable Carbon Fibers from CO₂-Negative Acrylonitrile Monomer and Precursors
Project Snapshot
Research Goal
Convert captured CO2 into high strength fibers with reduced community impact.
Project Description
Using acrylonitrile monomers produced from captured CO2 and biomass, synthesize renewable polyacrylonitrile polymers, spin the polymers into high strength fibers, and demonstrate performance targets for carbon fiber and acrylic fiber applications
Impact
Reduce the impact of textiles and composites while tapping into new resources to produce advanced fiber materials and carbon fibers, with implications in the industries such as textiles, aerospace, automotive, defense, construction, energy storage etc
Project Progress
Project Outputs
Discover the tangible outcomes and impact of this project.
Januka Budhathoki Uprety
NC State University
Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University
At NC State, Januka Budhathoki-Uprety leads research focused on polymers and nanomaterials for biomedical and environmental applications. She previously worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, developing bio-nanomaterials for disease diagnosis and therapy, an applied foundation that continues to shape her work.
Her lab operates at the interface of chemistry, biology, and materials science, using organic synthesis, chemical biology, and nanotechnology to develop polymers and nanomaterials for healthcare and environmental use. Current research areas include rational polymer design, nanomedicine, biosensor development, and smart biomedical textiles. Her doctoral research at NC State, supervised by Professor Bruce Novak, focused on the design and synthesis of helical polycarbodiimide polymers.
She is the recipient of the MSK Society Scholar Prize (2018) and the Tow Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015 to 2018).
Education
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 2018
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Chemistry, NC State University, 2012
- Master of Science (MS), Chemistry, Western Carolina University, 2008
- Master of Science (MSc), Organic Chemistry, Tribhuvan University
- Bachelor of Science (BSc), Chemistry, Botany and Zoology, Tribhuvan University
- Press Release – From Thin Air to Fighter Jets: A New American Way to Make Carbon Fiber, 1/6/2026
