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 production method of a long member including a large number of carbon nanotubes includes the steps of: (1) drawing the carbon nanotubes gradually from a first array to obtain a first web 10a; (2) bringing the first web 10a partially into contact with a first holder 12a to hold the first web 10a on the first holder 12a; (3) drawing the carbon nanotubes gradually from a second array to obtain a second web 10b; (4) bringing the second web 10b partially into contact with a second holder 12b to hold the second web 10b on the second holder 12b; and (5) placing a portion of the first web 10a and a portion of the second web 10b on each other to form a joint, the portions of the first and second webs 10a and 10b being in the vicinity of the first and second holders 12a and 12b, respectively, and being placed on each other such that width directions of the first and second webs 10a and 10b are substantially the same.

A production method of a long member including a large number of carbon nanotubes includes the steps of: (1) drawing the carbon nanotubes gradually from a first array to obtain a first web 10a; (2) bringing the first web 10a partially into contact with a first holder 12a to hold the first web 10a on the first holder 12a; (3) drawing the carbon nanotubes gradually from a second array to obtain a second web 10b; (4) bringing the second web 10b partially into contact with a second holder 12b to hold the second web 10b on the second holder 12b; and (5) placing a portion of the first web 10a and a portion of the second web 10b on each other to form a joint, the portions of the first and second webs 10a and 10b being in the vicinity of the first and second holders 12a and 12b, respectively, and being placed on each other such that width directions of the first and second webs 10a and 10b are substantially the same.

The invention described herein provides a dry graphene powder composition comprising pristine graphene flakes, wherein the pristine graphene flakes are non-covalently functionalised with polymeric amphiphilic molecules and wherein the dry graphene powder composition is capable of forming a stable homogeneous dispersion in aqueous or alcoholic media, in the absence of free dispersants or stabilizers, as well as methods for producing same, and the use thereof in graphene inks, for 2D and 3D printing, for production of flexible circuits, electrodes, electrocatalysts, for fabrication of nanocomposites and for wet-spinning of pristine graphene fibers.

The invention described herein provides a dry graphene powder composition comprising pristine graphene flakes, wherein the pristine graphene flakes are non-covalently functionalised with polymeric amphiphilic molecules and wherein the dry graphene powder composition is capable of forming a stable homogeneous dispersion in aqueous or alcoholic media, in the absence of free dispersants or stabilizers, as well as methods for producing same, and the use thereof in graphene inks, for 2D and 3D printing, for production of flexible circuits, electrodes, electrocatalysts, for fabrication of nanocomposites and for wet-spinning of pristine graphene fibers.

A fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is obtained by impregnating a continuous reinforcing fiber with a thermoplastic resin, and satisfies all of conditions (a) to (c). (a) The volume ratio of a reinforcing fiber in a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 30 to 80%; and the volume ratio of a thermoplastic resin in a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 70 to 20%. (b) The thickness of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 0.01 to 3 mm. (c) The length of a filament contained in a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin filament is 1 m or more.

An object of the present invention is to provide a carbon fiber which exhibits excellent strength development rate when used in a composite material. The present invention that solves the problems is a carbon fiber which simultaneously satisfies the following formulae (1) and (2):

Lc/d≤3  (1)

TS×d×Lc>6.0×10.sup.5  (2) wherein: Lc is an X-ray crystallite size (Å), d is a filament diameter (μm), and TS is a strand tensile strength (MPa).

A connection structure of a carbon nanotube wire is provided, which includes a joint between the carbon nanotube wire and the connection target having excellent electrical connectivity and mechanical connectivity. The present disclosure provides a connection structure of a carbon nanotube wire, including: a carbon nanotube wire formed by twisting and bundling carbon nanotube aggregates; a connection target to which the carbon nanotube wire is connected; a conducting wire with higher solder wettability than the carbon nanotube wire; a penetrating part of the conducting wire formed along a cross section having a component orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the carbon nanotube wire; and solder that connects the carbon nanotube wire and the connection target, in which the solder penetrates the penetrating part formed along the conducting wire.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a carbon nanotube fiber aggregate and provides a carbon nanotube fiber aggregate having an improved level of alignment through ultrasonic wave application and low speed recovery.