NOVELTY - A carbon material comprises 0.001-0.5 %mass boron atoms, in which (002) planes have an average interplanar spacing (d002) of 0.337 nm or less as analyzed by X-ray diffractometry. When the optical tissue is observed by a polarizing microscope in the field of view of rectangular 480 mu mx 540 mu m of a molded material containing carbon material, the carbon material satisfies a specified relation.    USE - Carbon material is used for electrode carbon material for paste used for electrode for battery used for lithium-ion secondary battery (all claimed) for portable apparatus, battery electric vehicle and hybrid electric vehicle.    ADVANTAGE - The carbon material has excellent capacitance, energy density and coulomb efficiency, provides low-resistance battery electrode which can be charged and discharged at high speed, and is economically manufactured with excellent mass-productivity by safe process.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A carbon material comprises 0.001-0.5 %mass boron atoms, in which (002) planes have an average interplanar spacing (d002) of 0.337 nm or less as analyzed by X-ray diffractometry. When the optical tissue is observed by a polarizing microscope in the field of view of rectangular 480 mu mx 540 mu m of a molded material containing carbon material, the carbon material satisfies the relation: 1.5 less than or equal to AROP less than or equal to 6 and 0.2x D50 less than or equal to (SOPx AROP)1/2less than2x D50, where SOP is the area of an optical structure which is to be added when the cumulative area as calculated by cumulation from the minimum-area structure is 60% of the total area of optical structures, AROP is the aspect ratio of a structure which is placed at 60% of the number of all the structures when the structures are counted in ascending order of aspect ratio, and D50 is the volume-based average particle diameter measured by laser diffraction method. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) manufacture of carbon material, which involves mixing 0.01-2 %mass boron or boron compounds with particles obtained by pulverizing calcined coke, and heat-processing in an atmosphere containing 50 volume% or more nitrogen at 3000-3600 degrees C;    (2) electrode carbon material, which comprises 100 parts mass carbon material and 0.01-200 parts mass natural graphite or artificial graphite having average face distance (d002) of 0.337 nm or less;    (3) paste, which comprises the carbon material and binder;    (4) electrode, which consists of a molded material of the paste;    (5) battery, which contains the electrode; and    (6) lithium-ion secondary battery, which contains the electrode.