Method of manufacturing a fiber reinforced composite material

Claim 1

A process for producing reinforcing carbon fiber for the manufacture of carbon fiber reinforced materials, said carbon reinforcing fiber being composed of carbon fiber substrate having a light metal or metalloid coating thereon exhibiting improved adhesion for the carbon fiber substrate, said process comprising: forming on the surfaces of said carbon fiber substrate chemical groups capable of forming bonds with respect to the light metal or metalloid of said coating, said chemical groups being formed on the surfaces of said fiber substrate by passing said fiber substrate through an electrically conductive liquid and applying a voltage to said fiber substrate, said voltage being applied to said fiber substrate by spaced voltage applying means in said liquid, each of said voltage applying means being spaced from said fiber substrate so that activated current is applied to said fiber substrate by way of said conductive liquid and without mechanical contact of said fiber substrate with said applying means, and thereafter depositing said light metal or metalloid on the surfaces of the fiber substrate by (a) contacting said fiber substrate with a composition comprising a compound capable of decomposing to yield said light metal or metalloid in atomic form and a solvent for said compound and (b) causing said compound to decompose to thereby yield said light metal or metalloid in atomic form whereby said light metal or metalloid deposits on the surfaces of said fiber substrate and combines with the chemical groups.