Provided are a composite material capable of further enhancing property derived from carbon nanotubes adhered to carbon fibers, a prepreg, a carbon-fiber-reinforced molded article, and a method for manufacturing a composite material. There is provided a composite material including: carbon fibers; and a structure which includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes and has a network structure in which the carbon nanotubes are in direct contact with each other, and in which the carbon nanotubes adhered to surfaces of the carbon fibers directly adhere to the surfaces of the carbon fibers. The carbon nanotubes have a bent shape having a bent portion.

Conductive polymer fibers 10, in which a conductor 12 containing a conductive polymer impregnates and/or adheres to base fibers 11, and the aforementioned conductive polymer is PEDOT-PSS.

A composite including: silicon (Si); a silicon oxide of the formula SiOx, wherein 0<x<2; and a graphene disposed on the silicon oxide.

Systems and methods for the formation of nanostructures, including carbon-based nanostructures, are generally described. In certain embodiments, substrate configurations and associated methods are described.

Graphene has been used in nanocomposites as constituents/doping in plastics or epoxy providing dramatic enhancement of the mechanical properties but have not progressed past the laboratory level novelty. This invention can provide a graphene based composite structure with a density less that 1.9 g/cm.sup.3 for a fiber, yarn, rope or cable and a density less that 1.5 g/cm.sup.3 for a sheet both structure have tensile and shear strength greater than either Aluminum or Steel; thus providing a graphene material that is both much lighter and stronger.

Provided are a reinforcing cord using a reinforcing fiber treating agent for improving the performance, particularly oil resistance, of rubber products, and a highly oil-resistant rubber product. By using a reinforcing fiber treating agent that has an ,-ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer unit content of 30-55 wt %, an acid group-containing ,-ethylenically unsaturated monomer unit content of 3-20 wt %, an iodine value of 120 or less and a tetrahydrofuran insoluble fraction of 30 wt % or more, the oil resistance of the reinforcing cord and thus the oil resistance of rubber products using the reinforcing cord are improved.

A composite including: silicon (Si); a silicon oxide of the formula SiOx, wherein 0<x<2; and a graphene disposed on the silicon oxide.

Graphene has been used in nanocomposites as constituents/doping in plastics or epoxy providing dramatic enhancement of the mechanical properties but have not progressed past the laboratory level novelty. This invention can provide a graphene based composite structure with a density less that 1.9 g/cm.sup.3 for a fiber, yarn, rope or cable and a density less that 1.5 g/cm.sup.3 for a sheet both structure have tensile and shear strength greater than either Aluminum or Steel; thus providing a graphene material that is both much lighter and stronger.

Methods of producing silicon carbide, and other metal carbide materials. The method comprises reacting a carbon material (e.g., fibers, or nanoparticles, such as powder, platelet, foam, nanofiber, nanorod, nanotube, whisker, graphene (e.g., graphite), fullerene, or hydrocarbon) and a metal or metal oxide source material (e.g., in gaseous form) in a reaction chamber at an elevated temperature ranging up to approximately 2400 C. or more, depending on the particular metal or metal oxide, and the desired metal carbide being produced. A partial pressure of oxygen in the reaction chamber is maintained at less than approximately 1.0110.sup.2 Pascal, and overall pressure is maintained at approximately 1 atm.

Electro-conductive fibers comprise synthetic fibers and an electro-conductive layer containing carbon nanotubes and covering a surface of the synthetic fibers, and the coverage of the electro-conductive layer relative to the whole surface of the synthetic fibers is not less than 60% (particularly not less than 90%). The electric resistance value of the electro-conductive fibers ranges from 110.sup.2 to 110.sup.10 /cm, and the standard deviation of the logarithm of the electric resistance value is less than 1.0. The thickness of the electro-conductive layer ranges from 0.1 to 5 m, and the ratio of the carbon nanotubes may be 0.1 to 50 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the synthetic fibers. The electro-conductive layer may further contain a binder. The electro-conductive fibers may be produced by immersing the synthetic fibers in a dispersion with vibrating the synthetic fibers to form the electro-conductive layer adhered to the surface of the synthetic fibers. The electro-conductive fibers have the carbon nanotubes homogeneously and firmly adhered to an almost whole of a surface thereof and have an electro-conductivity and a softness.