Abstract: Method of identifying stabilisation conditions for producing a thermally stabilised polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based carbon fibre precursor from any batch of precursor for use in carbon fibre manufacturing process are useful for reducing cost of carbon fibre manufacture. Method of manufacturing carbon fibres, comprising the steps of: providing a batch of isothermally stabilised polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based precursor fibres which presents as absent of evidence of tow burning or tow breakage, and having a structural conversion index selected from the range of from 0.5 to 0.7; subjecting the provided batch of isothermally treated precursor fibres to a carbonisation process to produce carbon fibre.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for preparation of a polyethylene nanocomposite comprising dispersing a base polyethylene resin and planar carbon nanoparticles in an inert liquid at conditions under which the base polyethylene resin is not solubilised in the inert liquid, and removing an amount of the liquid sufficient to provide a dispersion of the planar carbon nanoparticles in the base polyethylene resin.

Abstract: A polyethylene nanocomposite composition comprising: (i) base polyethylene resin of medium density polyethylene or high density polyethylene resin having a melt flow index in the range of from 0.10 to 1.4 g/10 min at 190° C. and 5 kg as measured according to ISO 1133, high load melt flow index of from 4 to 20 g/10 min at 190° C. and 21.6 kg as measured according to ISO 1133 and a density in the range of from about 0.930 to about 0.970 g/cm3 at 23° C. as measured according to ASTM D792; and (ii) planar carbon nanoparticles having a BET (from Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) theory) surface area of at least 50 m2/g, in an amount of from 0.1% to 20% by weight based on the weight of the polyethylene nanocomposite composition.