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According to foreign media reports on January 23, American scientists have successfully used plants to produce carbon fiber, thereby reducing its high cost. Thanks to its lightweight and strong properties, this material helps car owners save fuel while also reducing carbon pollution. Carbon fiber reinforced plastics are widely used in high-end vehicles and racing cars due to their lightweight and strong properties. Cars made of carbon fiber are lighter in weight than those made of steel; as a result, they require less fuel, can reach higher speeds, and are more fuel-efficient. However, most carbon fibers used for commercial purposes are very expensive. Part of the reason is that the cost of its manufacturing process is extremely high. We know that carbon fiber is made from a chemical molecule called acrylonitrile, and the materials used to produce acrylonitrile are oil, ammonia, oxygen, and expensive catalysts. This not only means that the cost of carbon fiber is subject to volatile (rising) oil prices, but it also generates a large amount of excess heat and toxic by-products in the process. Scientists have now discovered a more economical and environmentally friendly method for producing carbon fiber. A team led by Gregg Beckham at the **U.S. Renewable Energy Laboratory** discovered that they could use plant waste such as corn straw and wheat straw to successfully produce acrylonitrile. According to a recent study published in the journal Science, scientists broke down these plant materials into sugars, which were then converted into acids; by combining these with inexpensive catalysts, acrylonitrile was produced. Moreover, this process does not generate excessive heat or any toxic by-products. The research team is now working with external companies to advance its production process toward commercial-scale deployment. They also hope that the carbon fiber produced by this new method will be able to pass automotive-grade tests in the near future. Greg Beckham said, “We will conduct more fundamental research.” We are excited to be able to expand the production scale of acrylonitrile, and we also look forward to seeing this durable chemical material used in various aspects of daily life. ”The future development of carbon fiber is worth looking forward to.