A process for stabilizing precursor fibers for the production of carbon fibers is disclosed. The process comprises the following steps: continuously introducing, passing and removing said precursor fibers into, through and from a process chamber; establishing a predetermined process gas atmosphere different in composition from ambient air in said at least one process chamber, said process gas atmosphere containing at least one of a reactive component and a catalyst having a predetermined partial pressure; while said precursor fibers are in said process chamber, heating the precursor fibers to at least a first temperature and maintaining said first temperature for a predetermined period of time.

A process for the production of highly carbonaceous material, including combining a structured precursor including fibres and an unstructured precursor, in the form of a fluid, wherein the fluid has a viscosity of less than 45,000 mPa.Math.s.sup.−1 at the temperature at which the combination step occurs, and including at least a cyclic organic or aromatic compound in the molten state, or in solution at a concentration by weight of less than or equal to 65%, in order to obtain a combined precursor corresponding to the structured precursor covered by the unstructured precursor, wherein the process further includes step of thermal and dimensional stabilization of the combined precursor in order to obtain fibres covered with a cyclic organic or aromatic compound deposit, and a step of carbonization of the fibres covered with a cyclic organic or aromatic compound deposit in order to obtain a highly carbonaceous material.

A process for the production of highly carbonaceous material, including combining a structured precursor including fibres and an unstructured precursor, in the form of a fluid, wherein the fluid has a viscosity of less than 45,000 mPa.Math.s.sup.−1 at the temperature at which the combination step occurs, and including at least a cyclic organic or aromatic compound in the molten state, or in solution at a concentration by weight of less than or equal to 65%, in order to obtain a combined precursor corresponding to the structured precursor covered by the unstructured precursor, wherein the process further includes step of thermal and dimensional stabilization of the combined precursor in order to obtain fibres covered with a cyclic organic or aromatic compound deposit, and a step of carbonization of the fibres covered with a cyclic organic or aromatic compound deposit in order to obtain a highly carbonaceous material.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new form of adsorbent suitable for a motor vehicle canister. An activated carbon fiber sheet satisfies one or two or more of conditions for indices, such as a specific surface area, a pore volume of pores having a given pore diameter, and a sheet density. An embodiment, for example, may have: a specific surface area ranging from 1400 to 2200 m.sup.2/g; a pore volume ranging from 0.20 to 1.20 cm.sup.3/g for pores having pore diameters of more than 0.7 nm and 2.0 nm or less; and a sheet density ranging from 0.030 to 0.200 g/cm.sup.3.

Disclosed is a method for making a carbon fibre from a paper product. The method includes preparing a cellulose-based fibre by crushing the paper product, dissolving the crushed material obtained in an aqueous phosphoric acid solution to form a spinning solution, and forming a cellulose-based continuous fibre by use of a solvent spinning process. The cellulose fibre formed in this way is subjected to carbonisation treatment in order to form a carbon fibre.

Disclosed is a method for making a carbon fibre from a paper product. The method includes preparing a cellulose-based fibre by crushing the paper product, dissolving the crushed material obtained in an aqueous phosphoric acid solution to form a spinning solution, and forming a cellulose-based continuous fibre by use of a solvent spinning process. The cellulose fibre formed in this way is subjected to carbonisation treatment in order to form a carbon fibre.

Provided are cellulose nanofiber carbon having elasticity, high mechanical strength, and capable of increasing its specific surface area, and a method for producing the same. A method for producing cellulose nanofiber carbon by carbonizing cellulose nanofibers, includes a semi-carbonization step S2 of semi-carbonizing a dispersion liquid or gel containing cellulose nanofibers with a heat medium to obtain a semi-carbonized body, and a carbonization step S3 of heating and carbonizing the semi-carbonized body in an atmosphere that does not burn the semi-carbonized body to obtain cellulose nanofiber carbon.

Provided are cellulose nanofiber carbon having elasticity, high mechanical strength, and capable of increasing its specific surface area, and a method for producing the same. A method for producing cellulose nanofiber carbon by carbonizing cellulose nanofibers, includes a semi-carbonization step S2 of semi-carbonizing a dispersion liquid or gel containing cellulose nanofibers with a heat medium to obtain a semi-carbonized body, and a carbonization step S3 of heating and carbonizing the semi-carbonized body in an atmosphere that does not burn the semi-carbonized body to obtain cellulose nanofiber carbon.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new form of adsorbent suitable for a motor vehicle canister. An activated carbon fiber sheet satisfies one or two or more of conditions for indices, such as a specific surface area, a pore volume of pores having a given pore diameter, and a sheet density. An embodiment, for example, may have: a specific surface area ranging from 1400 to 2200 m.sup.2/g; a pore volume ranging from 0.20 to 1.20 cm.sup.3/g for pores having pore diameters of more than 0.7 nm and 2.0 nm or less; and a sheet density ranging from 0.030 to 0.200 g/cm.sup.3.

Cellulose-nanofiber carbon which can achieve a large specific surface area, and a method of producing the same are provided. The method for heat treating a cellulose nanofiber for carbonization includes: a freezing step of freezing a solution or gel containing the cellulose nanofiber to obtain a frozen product a drying step of drying the frozen product in a vacuum to obtain a dried product and a carbonizing step of heating and carbonizing the dried product in an atmosphere which does not burn the dried product to obtain the cellulose-nanofiber carbon.