DOE Invests $8.7 Million to Foster New Uses for Domestic Coal Resources

The U.S. Department of Energy selected X-MAT CCC to design, develop and fabricate a prototype carbon-based building, one of 14 projects funded to create new uses for domestic coal.

AOI 5: Design, Research and Development, Validation, and Fabrication of a Prototype Carbon-Based Building

One project was selected under this area of interest:

Modular, Manufactured Homes from Coal-Based Building Materials — X-MAT CCC (Bluefield, WV) plans to establish the utility of Coal-Derived Building Materials (CDBM) licensed from their partner, Semplastics. CDBM components contain at least 55% coal by weight, including the binders within the resin. They contain at least 71% carbon by weight. The proposed work will potentially result in a secure and consistent channel for the use of significant amounts of coal in building materials across North America. Possible advantages include higher percentage of non-toxic fire-resistant materials in residential and commercial homes; faster installation time because of lighter materials; greater design flexibility; and lower total cost and schedule because CDBM can fill both interior and exterior needs.

Funding: DOE: $498,442; Non-DOE: $126,000; Total: $624,442

Related selections for our partner, Semplastics

High-Performance Coal-Based Commercial Façade Panels and Architectural Components — Semplastics EHC LLC (Orlando, FL) plans to develop and prove the viability of a new class of composite architectural panel materials that use coal as the primary constituent, producing prototype rigid-board panels similar in size to commercial alternatives.

Funding: DOE: $498,700; Non-DOE: $125,342; Total: $624,042

Low Weight, High Strength Coal-Based Building Materials for Infrastructure Products — Semplastics EHC LLC (Orlando, FL) plans to develop and prove the viability of a new class of composite materials for infrastructure components that use coal as the primary constituent. Components will be lighter and stronger than commercial equivalents.

Funding: DOE: $497,688; Non-DOE: $126,000; Total: $623,688

The full program

In total, DOE selected projects across five areas of interest: coal-derived components for residential or commercial buildings, coal-derived components for infrastructure applications, coal-derived high-value carbon products, continuous production of coal-derived carbon foam, and a prototype carbon-based building.