The Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF), established in 2012, is the Department of Energy’s only designated user facility focused on performing early-stage research and development to improve the energy and material efficiency, productivity, and
The thermal conversion line is rated for 25 tonnes/year of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)–based fiber and can convert both melt-spun and solution-spun precursors.
The melt-spinning line is rated at 65 tonnes/ year of polyethylene fiber and designed to also spin lignin and pitch-based precursors in either tow or web form. It is upgradable to melt-spin PAN when the technology is sufficiently developed.
ORNL is currently developing advanced conversion technology based on microwave and plasma processing technologies.