Abstract: A polymer blend material comprising the following components: (i) a lignin component; (ii) a nitrile butadiene rubber component; and (iii) a filler component comprising ceramic particles and/or carbon particles having an average primary particle size of 1-100 nm, wherein component (iii) is present in an amount of 0.1-10 wt % by weight of components (i) and (ii); wherein component (i) is present in an amount of about 5 wt % to about 95 wt % by weight of components (i) and (ii), and wherein the blend material may optionally include a PAN-containing homopolymer or copolymer as an additional component. Methods for producing the polymer blend, molded forms thereof, and articles thereof, are also described. Methods for bonding surfaces together by use of the polymer blend are also described.

Abstract: A surface-modified carbon fiber composition comprising: (i) a carbon fiber having an outer surface, a width of at least 1 micron, and a length-to-width aspect ratio of at least 1000; and (ii) an amine-containing polymer coating bonded to the outer surface of the carbon fiber, wherein the amine-containing polymer contains at least one of primary and secondary amino groups. A method for producing the coated carbon fiber comprises: immersing an uncoated carbon fiber in an electrolyte solution containing a dissolved amount of an amine-containing polymer containing at least one of primary and secondary amino groups while the uncoated carbon fiber is connected to a negatively charged electrode and positioned adjacent to a positively charged electrode in the electrolyte solution to result in the electrodeposition of a coating of the amine-containing polymer on the uncoated carbon fiber. Also described herein are carbon fiber-polymer composites and methods of producing them.