Carbon fiber-nanoparticle composites with electromechanical properties

A method for producing a carbon fiber composite material, the method comprising:

• (a) continuously feeding and coating a continuous carbon fiber with a liquid solution or emulsion containing a solvent, a sizing agent, and piezoresistive nanoparticles in a continuous feed-through process to result in said sizing agent and piezoresistive nanoparticles coating the surface of the continuous carbon fiber, wherein said continuous carbon fiber has an outer surface, a thickness of at least 1 micron, and a length of at least 1 meter, and said piezoresistive nanoparticles have a composition selected from the group consisting of metal carbides, metal nitrides, and metal borides;
• and
• (b) removing the solvent to result in said sizing agent and piezoresistive nanoparticles bonding to the outer surface of the continuous carbon fiber to produce a continuous carbon fiber composite;
• wherein said continuous carbon fiber composite material comprises:
• (i) said continuous carbon fiber, (ii) said sizing agent coated on the outer surface of said continuous carbon fiber, and (iii) said piezoresistive nanoparticles embedded within said sizing agent.