Mars Materials Secures Breakthrough Validation for CO₂-Based Acrylonitrile

Mars Materials, a public benefit corporation focused on embedding captured carbon dioxide into everyday products, has announced a major milestone with the industry-first validation of its CO₂-based acrylonitrile.

Global chemical giant SNF, a leader in the $11 billion polyacrylamide market, confirmed that Mars’ product met all performance standards across its extensive portfolio. The achievement represents a significant breakthrough for the chemical building block, historically produced through emissions-heavy petrochemical processes.

“This validation proves our technology can meet the exacting quality demands of major industrial partners like SNF,” said Aaron Fitzgerald, CEO of Mars Materials. “It’s a critical inflection point in our approach—we’re demonstrating that our acrylonitrile can produce high-performance, carbon-negative carbon fiber.”

Acrylonitrile is a key input for carbon fiber used in aerospace, defense, and infrastructure, as well as essential polymers for water purification, pulp and paper, mining, and personal care. By producing it from captured CO₂, Mars offers a drop-in alternative that generates only recyclable water, enabling buyers to reduce Scope 3 emissions without costly infrastructure changes.

The company relocated its pilot operations from California to Houston, Texas, citing lower costs, faster permitting, and access to critical infrastructure and corporate partners. Mars co-located its pilot facility at a Shell site, a move that has accelerated development timelines by an estimated three years.

With validation secured, Mars is scaling up production and targeting expansion beyond the polyacrylamide sector into the $4 billion carbon fiber market, positioning its technology as a cornerstone for building a circular carbon economy.