CARBONACEOUS FIBERS WITH SPRING-LIKE REVERSIBLE DEFLECTION AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE
A unique partially carbonized or substantially completely carbonized resilient fiber, yarn or fiber tow having a spring-like structural configuration and a reversible deflection of greater than 1.2:1. The fiber, yarn or tow is prepared from a carbonaceous precursor material which is stabilized and then heat treated to a temperature sufficient to impart a spring-like structural configuration to the fiber. Such fiber, yarn or fiber tow is optionally knitted or woven into a cloth which can then be deknitted and carded, garnetted or otherwise defibrilated to produce a resilient web-like fluff or wool-like material having the spring-like structural configuration. Electrical conductivity and a fused benzenoidal structural configuration to the surface of the fiber, can optionally be obtained by carbonization of the fibers at a temperature of up to 3000<o>C at any stage after the spring-like configuration is set in the fiber.