Molecular Rebar Design
Molecular Rebar Design is an Austin-based nanotechnology company that produces discrete, surface-tailored carbon nanotubes (MOLECULAR REBAR®) for rubber, coatings, conductive inks, batteries, biomedical delivery, and additive-manufacturing customers. Founded in 2010 by ex-Dow Chemical scientists, the firm sells via B2B enterprise sales and three operating subsidiaries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Molecular Rebar Design does
Molecular Rebar Design, LLC (MRD) is an Austin, Texas-based nanotechnology company founded in 2010 by Kurt Swogger and Dr. Clive Bosnyak that produces discrete, surface-tailored carbon nanotubes (CNTs) commercialized under the MOLECULAR REBAR® brand. The company's core innovation is a patent-protected process that disentangles and individualizes CNTs — overcoming the dispersion problem that has historically blocked commercial viability of carbon nanotubes in host matrices. MRD operates production at a stated 100+ metric tons per year capacity at its single Austin facility (13477 Fitzhugh Rd), maintains ISO 9001:2015 certification, and protects its IP through more than 100 granted/allowed patents across 27+ countries.
MRD's commercial product portfolio spans MRO Gen I, II, and III (Molecular Rebar in Oil for elastomers including NBR, HNBR, XNBR, CR/Neoprene, NR/SBR/PBR/BIIR blends), Gen IV MR silane-coupled masterbatches for silica filler replacement, NOMR (non-oxidized MR for HNBR/FEPM/FKM/FFKM), and Medical-Grade MGMR for biomedical applications. End-use applications cover industrial rubber goods and tires, epoxy coatings, conductive inks, composites, EMI shielding, and thermally conductive materials. Revenue mechanics combine direct B2B enterprise sales (with embedded TS&D formulation support), channel distribution through Swan Chemical in North America, technology licensing, and three wholly- or partially-owned subsidiaries (Black Diamond Structures for batteries, Biopact for intracellular drug delivery, Mechnano for additive manufacturing using D'Func dispersions). Major enterprise relationships include a 2022 Goodyear co-development partnership for EV tires and active federal SBIR contracts from DOE, DHA, and EPA. Pricing is quote-based and undisclosed publicly.
Growth levers are uneven between commercial revenue lines (rubber, coatings, conductive inks) and pre-commercial lines (energy storage, biomedical, additive manufacturing). Defensive posture includes 2022 patent litigation against Samsung Electronics and LG Energy Solution in Delaware. The company is privately held as an LLC with no disclosed institutional equity rounds; capital formation has run primarily through non-dilutive federal grants and reinvestment, with concentrated ownership among the founder-management team.
Molecular Rebar Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Molecular Rebar Design
- Legal name
- Molecular Rebar Design, LLC
- Website
- https://molecularrebar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Molecular Rebar Design is an Austin-based nanotechnology company that produces discrete, surface-tailored carbon nanotubes (MOLECULAR REBAR®) for rubber, coatings, conductive inks, batteries, biomedical delivery, and additive-manufacturing customers. Founded in 2010 by ex-Dow Chemical scientists, the firm sells via B2B enterprise sales and three operating subsidiaries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Molecular Rebar Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Carbon Nanotubes / Nanomaterials Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713), Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (325212), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Rubber Compounds (FKM, HNBR, NBR, Silicone, CR) (IMANAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Polymer Compounds & Masterbatches (Compounding, Color/Fill/Additive Concentrates) (IMAEANAJ), Carbon‑Based Carbon Materials (graphite, carbon black, CNTs, graphene from CO₂/CO) (EUABAIAG), Medical & Food-Contact Specialty Compounds (IMANABAK), Polymer Filaments (FDM/FFF) (IMAAABAA)
Keywords
Where Molecular Rebar Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Molecular Rebar Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- MOLECULAR REBAR® Product Sales: Sale of discrete carbon nanotube products including MRO (Molecular Rebar in Oil), masterbatch products, and specialty formulations for rubber, coatings, conductive inks, and composites markets.
- Licensing and Technology Transfer: Technology licensing for composition of matter and combinations of Molecular Rebar with materials for new and existing markets. Spin-off business units for sales into energy storage, biomedical, and 3D printing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | MRO Gen I - Specialty polymers formulation |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | MRO Gen II - Toughness additive for parts and tires |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gen IV MR Silane-coupled masterbatch |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Molecular Rebar Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Molecular Rebar Design manufactures and sells MOLECULAR REBAR®, a proprietary form of discrete, surface-tailored carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that are disentangled and individualized through a patent-protected process. The company offers multiple product variants—MRO Gen I/II/III for rubber and elastomers, Gen IV silane-coupled masterbatch, NOMR for specialty elastomers, Medical-Grade MGMR for biomedical applications, and D'Func dispersions for additive manufacturing—used to enhance mechanical, electrical, thermal, and barrier properties in host materials.
Product overview
Molecular Rebar Design offers MOLECULAR REBAR® (MR), a breakthrough form of discrete, surface tailored carbon nanotubes that are disentangled through a patent-protected process. The product portfolio includes multiple variants: MRO Gen I and Gen II (Molecular Rebar in Oil for rubber/elastomer applications), Gen IV (silane-coupled for silica replacement), NOMR (non-oxidized for specialty elastomers), and Medical-Grade MGMR for biomedical applications. Commercial products span rubber/elastomers, epoxy coatings, conductive inks, and composites. Emerging developments include EMI shielding and thermally conductive materials. The company also operates subsidiaries including Biopact (biomedical delivery) and Mechnano (additive manufacturing with D'Func).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Molecular Rebar: Core product brand - discrete, surface tailored carbon nanotubes for enhancing material properties in rubber, coatings, inks, and composites.
- MRO
- MGMR
- D'Func
- Black Diamond Structures
Products and services
- MOLECULAR REBAR® (MR) Discrete, surface-tailored carbon nanotubes that bridge the gap between theoretical CNT performance and commercial viability through excellent dispersability. Used to enhance mechanical, electrical, thermal, and transport properties in host materials.
- MRO Gen I (Molecular Rebar in Oil) Use in specialty polymers (NBR, HNBR, XNBR, CR/Neoprene, etc.) delivered with TOTM, DBEEA, Castor, DOP, DOA, DBS, or other ester oils.
- MRO Gen II Pelletized powder consisting of 50% multiwall carbon nanotubes and naphthenic oil. Toughness additive for parts and tires, surface modified for better interactions with non-polar systems such as natural rubber. Used in NR/SBR/PBR blends.
- MRO Gen III Third-generation Molecular Rebar in Oil product for rubber applications.
- Gen IV MR (Silane-coupled Masterbatch) For use as a silica filler replacement, lowering density and improving performance. Used in NR/SBR/PBR/BIIR or blends thereof. Offered as a 15-25wt% MR in polymer masterbatch (E-SBR, S-SBR, PBR, or BIIR).
- NOMR (Non-oxidized MR in Specialty Elastomers) For use as an existing filler replacement in critical applications. Offered as a 15-25wt% MR in customer-supplied polymer masterbatch (HNBR, FEPM, FKM, FFKM).
- Medical-Grade MOLECULAR REBAR® (MGMR) Versatile trans-membrane delivery vehicle for intracellular transport of biomolecules. Used for cellular transfection, intracellular analysis, enzyme-conjugated nanoparticles, in vitro cellular manufacturing, and immunoncology applications including HIV therapy delivery.
- D'Func™ (via Mechnano) Formulated carbon nanotube dispersion for Additive Manufacturing — compatible with jettable, SLA, DLP, or fused deposition processes. Provides 10³-10¹⁰ ohm/sq resistivity, isotropic ESD performance, no carbon trails, and no requirement for continuous resin mixing.
- EMI Shielding Materials MR delivers EMI shielding from megahertz to terahertz, heat transfer, and mechanical durability to silicone and other gasketing materials. Adding 5% wt. MR to metal flake paste increases attenuation from -9dB/cm to -40dB/cm at 6GHz.
- Thermally Conductive Materials Addition of as little as 0.5% by weight of MR in filled thermal materials can improve thermal conductivity by 30% or more.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 3x longer coating lifetime with Molecular Rebar in epoxy coatings
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Molecular Rebar Design
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Molecular Rebar Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Molecular Rebar Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanycoreStrategic partnership for developing longer-lasting, more energy efficient electric vehicle tires using organosilane functionalized carbon nanotubes. Goodyear builds and tests prototype tires demonstrating commercial viability of MR technology for EV tire applications.
- Swan Chemical Inc.majorNorth American Distribution Partner for Molecular Rebar in Oil (MRO) products. Subsidiary of Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd., a UK-based specialty chemical manufacturer. Expanding MR adoption in high-performance rubber goods segment including wear-resistant parts, seals, gaskets, and custom rubber goods.
- Black Diamond StructurescoreSubsidiary company applying MOLECULAR REBAR nanotechnology for advanced energy storage solutions. Global leader employing nanotechnology to create next generation of world-class batteries for consumer devices and eVehicles.
- BiopactcoreSubsidiary developing Medical-Grade MOLECULAR REBAR (MGMR) for intracellular transport of biomolecules. Opening new pathways for drug delivery applications including cellular transfection, intracellular analysis, and immunoncology.
- MechnanocorePartially owned entity developing D'Func carbon nanotube dispersion for additive manufacturing. Only company in the world employing MOLECULAR REBAR technology for AM enhancement. Works with Materials Providers and Machine OEMs.
- Texas A&M School of PharmacymajorCollaboration with Associate Professor Lin Zhu, PhD for developing CNT-mediated HIV therapy. Partner for demonstrating delivery of MGMR in small and large animal models under Phase II SBIR research award.
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute / Southwest National Primate Research CentermajorPartnership for testing MGMR carbon nanotube-based delivery vehicle in non-human primates as part of HIV therapeutic development. One of the first times a CNT-based delivery vehicle will be tested in non-human primates.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Molecular Rebar Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- OCSiAl: World's largest producer of single-wall carbon nanotubes, serving rubber, coatings, and electronics markets with industrial-scale capacity. Most directly comparable CNT manufacturer competing for the same downstream adoption in tires and elastomers.
- Nano-C: US-based manufacturer of carbon nanotubes and fullerene materials for energy, electronics, and biomedical applications. Direct competitor in specialty CNT production and application development.
Broad incumbents
- Cabot Corporation: Global specialty chemicals leader with a carbon black and CNT (through Nanocyl acquisition) portfolio serving rubber, batteries, and coatings. Comparable as an incumbent additive supplier across MRD's target end markets.
- Birla Carbon: One of the largest global carbon black suppliers to tire and rubber goods manufacturers, the dominant incumbent reinforcing filler that MRD's CNT additives aim to complement or partially replace.
- Evonik Industries: Major silica and specialty additives supplier (ULTRASIL, Si 69) for the tire industry. Directly competes as a reinforcing filler system that MRD's silane-coupled Gen IV targets to replace or augment.
- Orion S.A. Global specialty carbon black producer supplying rubber, coatings, and printing inks markets. Comparable as incumbent additive supplier to MRD's downstream customers.
- Continental Carbon: Carbon black manufacturer serving rubber, plastics, and coatings markets. Comparable incumbent reinforcing filler and pigment supplier to MRD's downstream industries.
Emerging players
- Chasm Advanced Materials: Manufacturer of CNT and hybrid nanomaterial inks/coatings for transparent conductive films, batteries, and composites. Comparable emerging CNT player pursuing similar application breadth.
- Haydale Graphene Industries: UK-based functionalized graphene and CNT materials supplier targeting composites, coatings, rubber, and energy storage. Comparable emerging player commercializing tailored carbon nanomaterial additives.
Others
- Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd. UK specialty chemical manufacturer and parent of Swan Chemical Inc., MRD's North American distribution partner. Relevant as MRD's commercial channel partner and as a comparable specialty nanomaterials supplier.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Molecular Rebar Design social profiles
Digital presenceMolecular Rebar Design compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Molecular Rebar Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Molecular Rebar Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Molecular Rebar Design subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Molecular Rebar Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Molecular Rebar Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Molecular Rebar Design
What does Molecular Rebar Design do?
Molecular Rebar Design manufactures and sells MOLECULAR REBAR®, a proprietary form of discrete, surface-tailored carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that are disentangled and individualized through a patent-protected process. The company offers multiple product variants—MRO Gen I/II/III for rubber and elastomers, Gen IV silane-coupled masterbatch, NOMR for specialty elastomers, Medical-Grade MGMR for biomedical applications, and D'Func dispersions for additive manufacturing—used to enhance mechanical, electrical, thermal, and barrier properties in host materials.
Is Molecular Rebar Design a public or private company?
Molecular Rebar Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Molecular Rebar Design founded?
Molecular Rebar Design was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Molecular Rebar Design based?
Molecular Rebar Design is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Molecular Rebar Design make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. MOLECULAR REBAR® Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are licensing and Technology Transfer.
Who are Molecular Rebar Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are OCSiAl and Nano-C. Broad incumbents are Cabot Corporation, Birla Carbon, Evonik Industries, Orion S.A. and Continental Carbon. Emerging players are Chasm Advanced Materials and Haydale Graphene Industries. Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd. is listed as an others.
Does Molecular Rebar Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Molecular Rebar Design.
What industry is Molecular Rebar Design in?
Molecular Rebar Design's product category is Carbon Nanotubes / Nanomaterials Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMANAJAB, Specialty Rubber Compounds (FKM, HNBR, NBR, Silicone, CR), with a secondary code of IMAEANAJ, Polymer Compounds & Masterbatches (Compounding, Color/Fill/Additive Concentrates). Its NAICS code is 541713 and its SIC code is 2820.