A pultruded shaped composite material of carbon fiber having a diameter not greater than 0.001 inch aligned linearly with a degree of waviness defined by an average amplitude to length (A/L) ratio of less than 0.9 percent, the matrix formed around the fiber and solidified or cured into a rigid form that will not melt during subsequent processing steps to prevent an increase in waviness during subsequent processing steps. The matrix material consists essentially of a resin present in the range of about 10 to 50 percent by volume of the composite material. The A /L ratio is determined by measuring the distribution of angularity found in the aligned carbon fibers in a selective cross section cut at five degrees to the fiber plane, wherein the standard deviation for a 300 sample angularity measurement is not greater than 0.88 degrees.
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