A method of treating a carbon structure is provided. The method may include the step of infiltrating the carbon structure with a ceramic preparation comprising yttrium oxides and zirconium oxides. The carbon structure may be densified by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) and heat treated to form yttrium oxycarbides and/or carbides and zirconium oxycarbides and/or carbides. Heat treating the carbon structure may comprise a temperature ranging from 1000 C. to 1600 C.

A method for manufacturing metal oxide-grown carbon fibers including immersing carbon fibers in a solution for forming a metal oxide seed layer and electrodepositing a metal oxide seed on the surfaces of carbon fibers, or irradiating microwave thereto to form a metal oxide seed layer, and irradiating microwave to the metal oxide seed layer-formed carbon fibers to grow metal oxide. The method for manufacturing metal oxide-grown carbon fibers can reduce process time, and improve process energy efficiency and production efficiency. The method for manufacturing metal oxide-grown carbon fibers can offer metal oxide-grown carbon fibers with improved interfacial shear stress.

A method is disclosed for producing carbon fibers with active components such as those for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). The method includes electrospinning a solution of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and a transition metal into composite fibers; and annealing the composite fibers in an inert/reducing atmosphere.