Activated Carbon Fiber (ACF) Market – By Material, By Application and Forecast, 2025 - 2034

Activated Carbon Fiber Market Size

The global activated carbon fiber market was valued at USD 1.2 billion in 2024 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 6.3% from 2025 to 2034. Stringent government regulations along with rising health concern among people will supplement market growth in water treatment applications.
 

The burgeoning need for wastewater treatment is set to drive product demand. The earth's declining water level, coupled with global industrialization, is escalating the need for water purification. Businesses and households that emit large amounts of polluted water containing dangerous solid, semisolid, liquid, or gaseous contaminants may have an adverse effect on the ecosystem, which is speculated to foster activated carbon fiber industry expansion.
 

Activated Carbon Fiber Market Trends

The activated carbon fiber (ACF) market is seeing significant trends, particularly with the rise of sustainable solutions and advanced materials in industrial applications. ACFs, known for their high adsorption capacity, are increasingly used in environmental applications such as air and water purification. A shift from traditional coal-based activated carbon towards bio-based alternatives like lignin and biochar, which reduce environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions, reflects the sector's sustainability efforts.
 

Technological advancements also play a role, with researchers working on cost-effective, high-performance ACFs, making them more viable for industries that traditionally relied on activated carbon granules. Lignin-based carbon fibers, for example, show promise for energy storage and filtration systems, meeting the demands of a growing, eco-conscious market. The U.S. Department of Energy’s initiatives support these advancements, as lower-cost precursors help broaden ACF use in high-volume, cost-sensitive applications, including energy-efficient storage solutions and pollution control.
 

Activated Carbon Fiber Market Analysis

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based ACF will showcase significant growth owing to good tensile strength of the material. PAN is a synthetic thermoplastic semi-crystalline polymer. The production of PAN-based ACF comprises three steps, thermo-oxidative stabilization, carbonization, and controlled activation process. The material is largely used in applications including capacitor, catalyst, refiguration, and other applications. The rising demand for catalyst carriers coupled with ongoing developments in super capacitors will further impact the material demand.
 

The activated carbon fiber market from the air purification application segment generated more than USD 285 million in 2024. Air purification is showcasing considerable growth in the ACF market owing to stringent air pollution regulations adopted by several economies across the globe. The usage of ACF filters in passenger cars, roadside units, and other devices has resulted into excellent NOx and other pollutant adsorption. The usage of TOYOBO K Filter as air purifying filters in passenger cars and launch of pilot air filtration projects in emerging economies, such as Indonesia, among others, are driving the segment growth.
 

North America activated carbon fiber market is poised to register nearly 7.5% gains from 2024 to 2034. A positive outlook of the chemical sector across the region will accelerate the ACF demand. Rising demand for chemical and solvent recovery equipment in the region coupled with the growing petroleum sector will further boost the market growth. The U.S. is one of the major consumers of ACF products across the globe. ACF products are mainly used for air purification and water treatment applications in the region. Additionally, the presence of several industry participants and the wide distribution network of several ACF manufacturers across the region are supporting the industry growth.
 

Activated Carbon Fiber Market Share

In the activated carbon fiber industry, companies like Kuraray, Toyobo, and Osaka Gas Chemical compete on factors like price, product quality, technological innovation, and distribution networks. Differentiation through sustainable production methods and advanced adsorption capabilities is key for capturing environmentally conscious industrial clients.
 

Activated Carbon Fiber Market Companies

Major players operating in the activated carbon fiber industry are: 

• Anshan Sinocarb Carbon Fibers
• Awa Paper & Technological Company
• Evertech Envisafe Ecology
• Gun Ei Chemical Industry
• Hangzhou Nature Technology
• HP Materials Solutions
• Jiangsu Kejing Carbon Fiber
• Jiangsu Sutong Carbon Fiber
• Jiangsu Tongkang Activated Carbon Fiber
• Kuraray
• OJSC – Open Joint Stock Company
• Osaka Gas Chemical
• Toyobo
• Unitika
   

Activated Carbon Fiber Industry News

• In March 2022, Toyobo Co. Ltd and Mitsubishi Corporation signed an agreement to establish a new joint venture company (Toyobo Co. Ltd, 51%, and Mitsubishi Corporation, 49%) for the planning, development, manufacturing, and sales of functional materials, which is expected to commence operations in January 2023. The new JV will deal in operations related to photo functional materials, fine chemicals, engineering plastics, water treatment membranes, environment solution devices, activated carbon products, activated carbon filters, spun-bond nonwoven fabrics, lifestyle materials, and high-performance fibers. 
   

The activated carbon fiber market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry, with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue (USD Billion) & volume (Kilo Tons) from 2021 to 2034, for the following segments:

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Market, By Material

• Cellulose based
• Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based
• Phenolic resin based
• Pitch based
• Others

Market, By Application

• Air purification
• Water treatment
• Chemical recovery
• Catalyst carrier
• Others

The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • UK
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Russia
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia 
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
• MEA
  • UAE
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa