Process for producing carbon fiber reinforced carbon materials

A process for producing a carbon fiber reinforced carbon material, which process comprises the steps of:

• (a) mixing short carbon fibers with a mesophase pitch powder that has a softening point of no higher than 350.degree. C. and a viscosity of 80 poises at a temperature not higher than 400.degree. C., and that can be carbonized in a yield of at least 70% when it is gradually heated to a temperature of about 600.degree. C. in an inert gas atmosphere and then held at that temperature for two hours wherein said mesophase pitch contains almost 100% of an optical anistropic phase as examined under a polarizing microscope,
• (b) heating the mixture thus obtained until said pitch melts or softens so that the surfaces of said short carbon fibers are perfectly covered with said pitch,
• (c) shaping the mixture under pressure within such a range that the structure of said short carbon fibers will not be destroyed nor will they lose their inherent strength, and
• (d) firing the shaped mixture at about 600.degree.-1500.degree. C. in a non-oxidizing atmosphere thereby obtaining the carbon fiber reinforced carbon material, which is optionally followed by graphitization at a temperature of about 2000.degree.-3000.degree. C.