Polymer-free carbon nanotube assemblies (fibers, ropes, ribbons, films)

A process comprising the steps of:

• a) dispersing nanofibers in a dispersion liquid that has a proton-donating ability that is below that of 100% sulfuric acid to form a dispersion of nanofibers, wherein the nanofibers are carbon nanofibers;
• b) providing a flocculation liquid, the liquid having a pH selected from the group consisting of acidic pH and basic pH, wherein the acidic pH is less than 3 and the basic pH is greater than 11;
• c) injecting the dispersion of nanofibers into the flocculation liquid such that flocculation occurs to yield a primary nanofiber assembly;
• d) infiltrating said primary nanofiber assembly with a polymer to form an infiltrated polymer prior to producing a secondary nanofiber assembly that is substantially free of a liquid;
• and
• e) substantially removing the flocculation liquid from the primary nanofiber assembly to yield the secondary nanofiber assembly that is substantially free of the flocculation liquid, wherein
• i) said secondary nanofiber assembly has a form selected from the group consisting of a fiber, a rope, a sheet, a ribbon, a film, and combinations thereof, and
• ii) said secondary nanofiber assembly is a fiber, wherein this fiber is mechanically drawn to at least 50% of the breaking strain, so as to thereby increase the orientation of nanofibers in the fiber.