CARBON FIBER AGGREGATE CAPABLE OF FEEDING BY GRAVITY-FEED AND PRODUCTION METHOD THEREFOR

摘要

A compressed carbon fiber aggregate has a ball-shaped, elongated ellipsoidal or cylindrical configuration made up of individual carbon fibers. The carbon fiber aggregate is produced without the need for a binder but is made sufficiently dense by compression into the ball-shaped, ellipsoidal or cylindrical configuration.To produce the aforementioned carbon fiber aggregate with increased density, loose carbon fibers are circulated by means of a gas, such as air, within a circular chamber (10). As they are being driven around the circular chamber by the gas, individual carbon fibers separate and then reaggregate into a more compact ball-shaped or ellipsoidal configuration. By performing the aforementioned process for a sufficient period of time, e.g. 10 to 20 min., a ball-shaped or ellipsoidal carbon fiber aggregate with a density sufficiently high for gravity-feed can be obtained. The obtained carbon fiber aggregates may be of essentially uniform size and density.