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Abstract

An improved process is provided for the thermal conversion of a multifilamentary tow of an acrylic fibrous material wherein the filaments are disposed in a substantially parallel relationship in a multifilamentary tow of carbonaceous fibrous material which contains at least 70 percent (preferably at least 90 percent) carbon by weight. During at least one stage of the process the multifilamentary tow is subjected to the impingement of at least one stream of a liquid whereby the parallel relationship of the filaments is disrupted in the substantial absence of filament damage with the filaments becoming decolumnized to a degree sufficient to enable the resulting carbonaceous fibrous material to be more readily impregnated by and dispersed within a matrix-forming resin. In a preferred embodiment such impingement is carried out following a thermal stabilization step and prior to a carbonization step while the multifilamentary tow is simultaneously completely submerged within a liquid. The particularly preferred liquid for use in the process is water.

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