CFOAM® is a new material produced by a controlled coking process. After the raw material is foamed, it is heat treated to dictate mechanical, thermal, and physical properties. CFOAM is certifiable as non-combustible, has high compressive strength, strong impact resistance, and low thermal conductivity. One of the newest breakthroughs in carbon foam research is use of the material in tooling for carbon fiber-reinforced structures. Construction of aircraft, missile surfaces, and structures is moving to carbon fiber-reinforced thermoset and thermoplastic resins, resulting in higher strength-to-weight ratio and less subjection to corrosion and fatigue. Tools for creating structures and surfaces must be rigid, durable and offer a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that matches the composite piece. Most materials expand when heated, but carbon composites actually have a very low CTE, which means they expand very little. Consequently, it is difficult to match the expansion of a carbon composite with anything other than another carbon composite or a controlled expansion nickel iron alloy. Fabrication of nickel iron alloy tooling can require as many as 17 separate stages leading to a 140-250% increase in cost and a four-fold increase in lead times. Carbon fiber composite (CFC) tooling offers matched CTE and is more inexpensive, lighter, of lower thermal mass, and has a shorter lead-time than conventional tooling. However, CFC tooling has had limited use because of concerns regarding durability. CFOAM’s low CTE and durability make it an emerging material for use in carbon tooling.