Carbon fiber and method of forming the same are provided. The method modifies proportion of a finishing oil to control a relation between a surface tension and a particle size of the finishing oil, and thus penetration of the finishing oil into an interior of the carbon fiber is avoided. Therefore, the carbon fiber can have both low oil residues and a high strength.

Systems and methods are provided for fabrication of enhanced carbon fiber laminates that utilize encapsulated catalyst. One embodiment is a method that includes acquiring a batch of dry fibers, and acquiring a batch of catalyst capsules that each comprise catalyst that accelerates polymerization of monomers of a resin, and a shell that encapsulates the catalyst and liquefies at a curing temperature. The method further includes interspersing the catalyst capsules among the dry fibers, and impregnating the fibers with the resin after interspersing the catalyst capsules with the fibers.

Systems and methods are provided for fabrication of enhanced carbon fiber laminates that utilize encapsulated catalyst. One embodiment is a method that includes acquiring a batch of dry fibers, and acquiring a batch of catalyst capsules that each comprise catalyst that accelerates polymerization of monomers of a resin, and a shell that encapsulates the catalyst and liquefies at a curing temperature. The method further includes interspersing the catalyst capsules among the dry fibers, and impregnating the fibers with the resin after interspersing the catalyst capsules with the fibers.

A process for producing a fabric comprising at least a graphene-based continuous or long fiber, comprising: (a) preparing a graphene dispersion having chemically functionalized graphene sheets dispersed in a fluid; (b) dispensing, depositing, and shearing at least a continuous or long filament of the graphene dispersion onto a substrate, and removing the fluid to form a continuous or long fiber comprising aligned chemically functionally graphene sheets; and (c) inducing chemical reactions between chemical functional groups attached to adjacent graphene sheets to form the graphene fiber; (d) combining the graphene fiber with a plurality of fibers, the same type as or different than the graphene fiber, to form at least one fiber yarn; and (e) combining the at least one fiber yarn and a plurality of fiber yarns, the same type as or different than the at least one fiber yarn, to form the fabric.

Provided is a fabric comprising a layer of yarns combined (by weaving, braiding, knitting, or non-woven) to form the fabric wherein the yarns comprise one or a plurality of graphene-based long or continuous fibers. The long or continuous fiber comprises chemically functionalized graphene sheets that are chemically bonded with one another having an inter-planar spacing d.sub.002 from 0.36 nm to 1.5 nm as determined by X-ray diffraction and a non-carbon element content of 0.1% to 40% by weight, wherein the functionalized graphene sheets are substantially parallel to one another and parallel to the fiber axis direction and the fiber contains no core-shell structure, have no helically arranged graphene domains, and have a length no less than 0.5 cm and a physical density from 1.5 to 2.25 g/cm.sup.3. The graphene fiber typically has a thermal conductivity from 300 to 1,600 W/mK, an electrical conductivity from 600 to 15,000 S/cm, or a tensile strength higher than 1.0 GPa.

A method of forming a fuel cell catalyst layer. The method includes spinning a composition including a base polymer, a solvent, and a catalyst precursor into a non-woven fiber mat having the catalyst precursor embedded therein. The method further includes carbonizing the non-woven fiber mat to form a carbon fiber substrate. The method also includes reacting the catalyst precursor to form a plurality of individual catalyst particles embedded in the carbon fiber substrate.

A method of forming a fuel cell catalyst layer. The method includes spinning a composition including a base polymer, a solvent, and a catalyst precursor into a non-woven fiber mat having the catalyst precursor embedded therein. The method further includes carbonizing the non-woven fiber mat to form a carbon fiber substrate. The method also includes reacting the catalyst precursor to form a plurality of individual catalyst particles embedded in the carbon fiber substrate.

Disclosed is a method of making high temperature fiber including incorporating an inorganic atom into a polymer precursor fiber to form a modified polymer precursor fiber and converting the modified polymer precursor fiber to a high temperature fiber having a bonded inorganic atom.

Disclosed is a method of making high temperature fiber including incorporating an inorganic atom into a polymer precursor fiber to form a modified polymer precursor fiber and converting the modified polymer precursor fiber to a high temperature fiber having a bonded inorganic atom.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a carbon fiber. Pressure is applied to a filament to change a cross-sectional shape of the filament and create a plurality of distinct surfaces on the filament. The filament is converted into a graphitic carbon fiber having the plurality of distinct surfaces. A plurality of sizings is applied to the plurality of distinct surfaces of the graphitic carbon fiber in which the plurality of sizings includes at least two different sizings.