Abstract: A bulky non-woven fabric of improved softness and uniformity in surface density, flatness and thickness is provided. The non-woven fabric comprises (a) 50 to 95% by weight of spontaneously crimped acrylonitrile polymer fibers having lengths of 4mm to 20mm and at least 20 crimps per inch of length, said acrylonitrile polymer consisting essentially of, in polymerized form, 80 to 100% by weight of acrylonitrile and 0 to 20% by weight of a copolymerizable monoethylenically unsaturated monomer, and (b) 5 to 50% by weight of fibrillated fibers of at least one acrylonitrile polymer, said acrylonitrile polymer comprising, in polymerized form, 60 to 98% by weight of acrylonitrile and 2 to 40% by weight of a copolymerizable monoethylenically unsaturated monomer having a carboxyl group or an amide or N-alkyl substituted amide group.

Abstract: Carbon fibers having high tenacity and high modulus of elasticity can be obtained with a high carbonization yield and within a short period of time by heat-carbonizing acrylonitrile polymer fibers comprising a copolymer composed mainly of acrylonitrile and a compound expressed by the general formula of ##EQU1## wherein R is hydrogen or methyl group, A is an alkoxy group having 1 - 4 carbon atoms, B is a halogenated alkoxy group having 1 - 4 carbon atoms (wherein halogen is chlorine, bromine or iodine), n is 0 - 2, m is 0 - 2 and n + m is 2.