Abstract: The resin in a fiber-reinforced resin material that uses a single fiber reinforcing ply or a number of fiber reinforcing plies for reinforcing the resin material is reinforced by dispersing carbon nanofibers therein, whereby a fiber-reinforced composite resin material having improved strength such as compressive strength is provided. In a carbon nanofiber-dispersed resin fiber-reinforced composite material 1, an uncured resin 4 having carbon nanofibers 5 dispersed therein is impregnated into a number of fiber reinforcing plies 2a laid one upon another. Upon curing the resin 4, the strength of the matrix 3 itself is increased through the carbon nanofibers 5 dispersed in the resin 4. Moreover, the fiber reinforcement 2 and the resin 4 are joined together strongly by the carbon nanofibers 5, and hence the strength of the composite material, for example the compressive strength, which hitherto has been dependent on the strength of the resin 4 only, is improved.

Abstract: A carbon fiber in which hexagonal carbon layers in the shape of a bottomless cup are stacked. At least part of edges of the hexagonal carbon layers are exposed on an outer surface and an inner surface of the carbon fiber. The exposed large ring end has an armchair edge, a zigzag edge, and a chiral edge on the circumference. This carbon fiber has a high degree of activity on the exposed edges of the hexagonal carbon layers and the surfaces of the carbon fiber. Therefore, the carbon fiber can be used as various types of filters and the like.

Abstract: A carbon fiber has a coaxial stacking morphology of truncated conical tubular graphene layers, wherein each of the graphene layers includes a hexagonal carbon layer and has a large ring end at one end and a small ring end at the other end in the axial direction. When the carbon fiber is subjected to a heat treatment in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, the large ring ends of each two of the hexagonal carbon layers are linked by layer link sections in at least one of groups of the hexagonal carbon layers arranged in an axial direction, and an outer surface is closed to have a multi-semiring structure in cross section. When the carbon fiber is then subjected to a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere, the layer link sections are released, whereby the edges of the hexagonal carbon layers are exposed at the large ring ends in a regularly arranged manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition comprising 100 parts by mass of a rubber and 0.1 to 100 parts by mass of carbon fibers as a filler which are produced by a vapor phase epitaxial growth method and respectively include one or more bottomless cup-shaped carbon network layers, wherein the respective carbon network layer in the form of stacked cups have a large diameter portion whose end face is exposed to a periphery of the carbon fiber. The rubber composition and tire of the present invention have a high thermal conductivity and are excellent in other properties such as mechanical properties.

Abstract: A carbon fiber has a coaxial stacking morphology of truncated conical tubular graphene layers, wherein each of the truncated conical tubular graphene layers includes a hexagonal carbon layer and has a large ring end at one end and a small ring end at the other end in an axial direction. The hexagonal carbon layers are exposed on at least a part of the large ring ends. Part of carbon atoms of the hexagonal carbon layers are replaced with boron atoms, whereby projections with the boron atoms at the top are formed. An electrode material for a secondary battery using the carbon fiber excels in lifetime performance, has a large electric energy density, enables an increase in capacity, and excels in conductivity and electrode reinforcement.

Abstract: The resin in a fiber-reinforced resin material that uses a single fiber reinforcing ply or a number of fiber reinforcing plies for reinforcing the resin material is reinforced by dispersing carbon nanofibers therein, whereby a fiber-reinforced composite resin material having improved strength such as compressive strength is provided. In a carbon nanofiber-dispersed resin fiber-reinforced composite material 1, an uncured resin 4 having carbon nanofibers 5 dispersed therein is impregnated into a number of fiber reinforcing plies 2a laid one upon another. Upon curing the resin 4, the strength of the matrix 3 itself is increased through the carbon nanofibers 5 dispersed in the resin 4. Moreover, the fiber reinforcement 2 and the resin 4 are joined together strongly by the carbon nanofibers 5, and hence the strength of the composite material, for example the compressive strength, which hitherto has been dependent on the strength of the resin 4 only, is improved.

Abstract: A carbon fiber has a coaxial stacking morphology of truncated conical tubular graphene layers, wherein each of the truncated conical tubular graphene layers includes a hexagonal carbon layer and has a large ring end at one end and a small ring end at the other end in an axial direction. The hexagonal carbon layers are exposed on at least a part of the large ring ends. Part of carbon atoms of the hexagonal carbon layers are replaced with boron atoms, whereby projections with the boron atoms at the top are formed. An electrode material for a secondary battery using the carbon fiber excels in lifetime performance, has a large electric energy density, enables an increase in capacity, and excels in conductivity and electrode reinforcement.

Abstract: A carbon fiber in which hexagonal carbon layers in the shape of a bottomless cup are stacked. At least part of edges of the hexagonal carbon layers are exposed on an outer surface and an inner surface of the carbon fiber. The exposed large ring end has an armchair edge, a zigzag edge, and a chiral edge on the circumference. This carbon fiber has a high degree of activity on the exposed edges of the hexagonal carbon layers and the surfaces of the carbon fiber. Therefore, the carbon fiber can be used as various types of filters and the like.

Abstract: A carbon fiber has a coaxial stacking morphology of truncated conical tubular graphene layers, wherein each of the graphene layers includes a hexagonal carbon layer and has a large ring end at one end and a small ring end at the other end in the axial direction. When the carbon fiber is subjected to a heat treatment in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, the large ring ends of each two of the hexagonal carbon layers are linked by layer link sections in at least one of groups of the hexagonal carbon layers arranged in an axial direction, and an outer surface is closed to have a multi-semiring structure in cross section. When the carbon fiber is then subjected to a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere, the layer link sections are released, whereby the edges of the hexagonal carbon layers are exposed at the large ring ends in a regularly arranged manner.

Abstract: An electrode material for a secondary battery has a carbon fiber. This carbon fiber has a coaxial stacking morphology of truncated conical tubular graphene layers, wherein each of the truncated conical tubular graphene layers includes a hexagonal carbon layer, and has a large ring end at one end and a small ring end at the other end in an axial direction. The hexagonal carbon layers are exposed on at least a part of the large ring ends. Such an electrode material for a secondary battery excels in lifetime performance, has a large electric energy density, enables an increase in capacity, and excels in conductivity and electrode reinforcement.