The object of the present invention is to provide a conductive porous material that has a large specific surface area, that is not easily damaged by pressure, and that can be applied to a variety of applications; a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and a method of manufacturing a conductive porous material. The conductive porous material is one which is an aggregate of fibrous substances comprising first conductive materials, and second conductive materials that connect between the first conductive materials, and its specific surface area is 100 m.sup.2/g or more, and its thickness retention rate after pressing at 2 MPa is 60% or more. Such a conductive porous material can be manufactured by spinning a spinning solution containing a first conductive material and a carbonizable organic material to form a precursor fiber porous material in which precursor fibers are aggregated, and carbonizing the carbonizable organic material to convert it into a second conductive material.

A method for arranging nanotube elements within nanotube fabric layers and films is disclosed. A directional force is applied over a nanotube fabric layer to render the fabric layer into an ordered network of nanotube elements. That is, a network of nanotube elements drawn together along their sidewalls and substantially oriented in a uniform direction. In some embodiments this directional force is applied by rolling a cylindrical element over the fabric layer. In other embodiments this directional force is applied by passing a rubbing material over the surface of a nanotube fabric layer. In other embodiments this directional force is applied by running a polishing material over the nanotube fabric layer for a predetermined time. Exemplary rolling, rubbing, and polishing apparatuses are also disclosed.

In order to obtain a carbon nanotube array including no m-CNTs through simple steps using a mechanism that is different from thermocapillary flow, there are provided a process for producing a carbon nanotube array including (A) a step of preparing a carbon nanotube array in which m-CNTs and s-CNTs are horizontally aligned; (B) a step of forming an organic layer on the carbon nanotube array; (C) a step of applying voltage to the carbon nanotube array in a long axis direction of the carbon nanotubes constituting the carbon nanotube array in the air; and (D) a step of removing the organic layer, and a carbon nanotube array obtained by the process.

In order to obtain a carbon nanotube array including no m-CNTs through simple steps using a mechanism that is different from thermocapillary flow, there are provided a process for producing a carbon nanotube array including (A) a step of preparing a carbon nanotube array in which m-CNTs and s-CNTs are horizontally aligned; (B) a step of forming an organic layer on the carbon nanotube array; (C) a step of applying voltage to the carbon nanotube array in a long axis direction of the carbon nanotubes constituting the carbon nanotube array in the air; and (D) a step of removing the organic layer, and a carbon nanotube array obtained by the process.

The nonwoven fabric of the present invention is a nonwoven fabric containing: a carbon fiber or carbon fiber precursor (A) each having an average fiber diameter of 10 m or more and 30 m or less, a tensile strength (1) of 40 N/mm.sup.2 or more and 300 N/mm.sup.2 or less, and an elongation percentage of 0% or more and 10% or less; and a fiber (B) having an average fiber diameter of 5 m or more and 30 m or less and a tensile strength (2) of 200 N/mm.sup.2 or more and 600 N/mm.sup.2 or less, provided that the tensile strength (2) is higher than the tensile strength (1), wherein the blend ratio between the carbon fiber or carbon fiber precursor (A) and the fiber (B) ((A):(B)) is 50:50 to 99:1 on mass basis, the carbon fiber or carbon fiber precursor (A) is an activated carbon fiber or an infusibilized fiber, and the fiber (B) is a carbon fiber or a carbon fiber precursor.

The nonwoven fabric of the present invention is a nonwoven fabric containing: a carbon fiber or carbon fiber precursor (A) each having an average fiber diameter of 10 m or more and 30 m or less, a tensile strength (1) of 40 N/mm.sup.2 or more and 300 N/mm.sup.2 or less, and an elongation percentage of 0% or more and 10% or less; and a fiber (B) having an average fiber diameter of 5 m or more and 30 m or less and a tensile strength (2) of 200 N/mm.sup.2 or more and 600 N/mm.sup.2 or less, provided that the tensile strength (2) is higher than the tensile strength (1), wherein the blend ratio between the carbon fiber or carbon fiber precursor (A) and the fiber (B) ((A):(B)) is 50:50 to 99:1 on mass basis, the carbon fiber or carbon fiber precursor (A) is an activated carbon fiber or an infusibilized fiber, and the fiber (B) is a carbon fiber or a carbon fiber precursor.

A composition includes a carbon nanotube (CNT)-infused carbon fiber material that includes a carbon fiber material of spoolable dimensions and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) infused to the carbon fiber material. The infused CNTs are uniform in length and uniform in distribution. The CNT infused carbon fiber material also includes a barrier coating conformally disposed about the carbon fiber material, while the CNTs are substantially free of the barrier coating. A continuous CNT infusion process includes: (a) functionalizing a carbon fiber material; (b) disposing a barrier coating on the functionalized carbon fiber material (c) disposing a carbon nanotube (CNT)-forming catalyst on the functionalized carbon fiber material; and (d) synthesizing carbon nanotubes, thereby forming a carbon nanotube-infused carbon fiber material.

A composition includes a carbon nanotube (CNT)-infused carbon fiber material that includes a carbon fiber material of spoolable dimensions and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) infused to the carbon fiber material. The infused CNTs are uniform in length and uniform in distribution. The CNT infused carbon fiber material also includes a barrier coating conformally disposed about the carbon fiber material, while the CNTs are substantially free of the barrier coating. A continuous CNT infusion process includes: (a) functionalizing a carbon fiber material; (b) disposing a barrier coating on the functionalized carbon fiber material (c) disposing a carbon nanotube (CNT)-forming catalyst on the functionalized carbon fiber material; and (d) synthesizing carbon nanotubes, thereby forming a carbon nanotube-infused carbon fiber material.

A nonwoven material is composed of a nonwoven batt of a plurality of bundles formed of carbon fibers. At least some of the bundles have a curved progression that includes a curved vertex area of a first curvature between the bundle ends and at least one bundle end area of a second curvature extending from said one bundle end to the vertex. The first curvature is greater than the second curvature, in particular it is greater by at least 50%.

A nonwoven material is composed of a nonwoven batt of a plurality of bundles formed of carbon fibers. At least some of the bundles have a curved progression that includes a curved vertex area of a first curvature between the bundle ends and at least one bundle end area of a second curvature extending from said one bundle end to the vertex. The first curvature is greater than the second curvature, in particular it is greater by at least 50%.