Skip to main content
Log in

Effect of mesophase formation from quinoline insoluble-containing coal tar pitch on physical properties of carbon blocks

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Carbon Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the present study, a coal-based pitch containing 12.1% quinoline insoluble (QI) underwent isothermal heat treatment, and changes in the mesophase microstructure were analyzed for the heat treatment duration. The nuclei creation and growth rate of mesophase were affected by the distribution of QI particles in the pitch. The growth process could be explained in four regions through the mesophase area fraction. During the carbonization of carbon blocks, mesophase formation was induced in the binder phase. The physical properties of carbon blocks were measured as a function of residence time. As residence time increased, bulk density decreased and porosity increased, but electrical conductivity increased. It was determined that forming a mesophase in the binder phase during carbonization reduced the size of large pores in carbon block and improved the connectivity between particles, thereby increasing electrical conductivity. These results are expected to show greater improvement in electrical properties after graphitization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The data that support these findings are within the article.

References

  1. Pierson HO (1993) Handbook of carbon, graphite, diamond and fullerenes. Np Noyes publicatons, Park Ridge, p 77

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kershaw JR, Black KJT (1993) Structural characterization of coal-tar and petroleum pitches. Energy Fuels 7:420–425

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kim BJ, Kotegawa T et al (2016) Enhancing the tensile strength of isotropic pitch-based carbon fibers by improving the stabilization and carbonization properties of precursor pitch. Carbon 99:649–657

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. King LF, Roberson WD (1968) A comparison of coal tar and petroleum pitches as electrode binders. Fuel 47:197–212

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wombles RH, Kiser MD (2016) Developing coal tar/petroleum pitches. In: Tomsett A, Johnson J (eds) Essential reading in light metals. Springer, pp 246–250

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  6. Charette A, Kocaefe D, Saint-Romain JL, Couderc P (1991) Comparison of various pitches for impregnation in carbon electrodes. Carbon 29:1015–1024

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Franklin RE (1951) Crystallite growth in graphitizing and non-graphitizing carbons. Proc R Soc A 209:195–218

    Google Scholar 

  8. Walker PL, Thrower PA (1979) Chemistry and Physics of Carbon, vol 15. CRC Press, Florida

    Google Scholar 

  9. Edwards IAS, Harry M, Rosa M et al (1989) Introduction to carbon science. Butterworths, London

    Google Scholar 

  10. Mochida I, Toshima H, Korai Y, Hino T (1989) Oxygen distribution in the mesophase pitch fibre after oxidative stabilization. J Mater Sci 24:389–394

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ōtani S (1965) On the carbon fiber from the molten pyrolysis products. Carbon 3:31–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Hüttinger KJ, Wang JP (1992) Kinetics of mesophase formation in a stirred tank reactor and properties of the products-II. Discontin React Carbon 30:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  13. Azami K, Sanada YS, Y, (1994) Kinetics of mesophase formation of petroleum pitch. Carbon 32:947–951

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Oberlin A (1984) Carbonization and graphitization. Carbon 22:521–541

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Brooks JD, Taylor GH (1968) The formation of some graphitized carbons. Dekker, New York

    Google Scholar 

  16. Marsh H, Foster JM, Hermon G, Iley M (1973) Carbonization and liquid-crystal(mesophase) development. Part 2. Co-carbonization of aromatic and organic dye compounds, and influence of inerts. Fuel 52:234–242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Santamaria-Ramirez R, Romero-Palazon E, Gomez-de-Salazar C, Rodriguez-Reinoso F, Martinez-Saez S, Martinez-Escandell M, Marsh H (1999) Influence of pressure variations on the formation and development of mesophase in a petroleum residue. Carbon 37:445–455

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Park YD, Mochida I (1989) A two-stage preparation of mesophase pitch from the vacuum residue of FCC decant oil. Carbon 27:925–929

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Wang M, Wang CY, LiHy TQZJ (2008) Preparation of mesophase-pitch-based carbo foams at low pressures. Carbon 46:84–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Mochida I, Shimizu K, Korai Y (1990) Preparation of mesophase pitch from aromatic hydrocarbons by the aid of HF/BF3. Carbon 28:311–319

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Zhang X, Meng Y, Fan B, Ma Z, Song H (2019) Preparation of mesophase from refined coal tar pitch using naphthalene-based mesophase pitch as nucleating agent. Fuel 243:390–397

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Taylor GH, Pennock GM, Fitz Gerald JD, Brunckhorst LF (1993) Influence of QI on mesophase structure. Carbon 31:3341–3354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Endo M (1988) Structure of mesophase pitch-based carbon fibres. J Mater Sci 23:598–605

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Mochida I, Yoon SH, Takano N, Fortin F, Korai Y, Yokogawa K (1996) Microstructure of mesophase pitch-based carbon fiber and its control. Carbon 34:941–956

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Li L, Lin X, Zhang Y, Dai J, Xu D, Wang Y (2020) Characteristics of the mesophase and needle coke derived from the blended coal tar and biomass tar pitch. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis 150:104889

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Zhu Y, Liu H, Xu Y, Hu C, Zhao C, Cheng J, Chen X, Zhao X (2020) Preparation and characterization of coal-pitch-based needle coke (part III): the effect of quinolone insoubles in coal tar pitch. Energy Fuels 34:8676–8684

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Marsh H, Latham CS, Gray EM (1985) The structure and behavior of QI material in pitch. Carbon 23:555–570

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Kim JJ, Lee SH, Roh JS (2024) Effect of heat-treatment temperature and residence time on microstructure and crystallinity of mesophase in coal tar pitch. Carbon Lett 34:815–825

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ko JH, Lee SH, Roh JS (2023) Improved oxidation resistance of graphite block by introducing curing process of phenolic resin. Materials 16:3543

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Oh SM, Lee SM, Kang DS, Roh JS (2016) Microstructural changes of polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers (T300 and T700) due to isothermal oxidation (1): focusing on morphological changes using scanning electron microscopy. Carbon Lett 18:18–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Martín Y, García R, Solé RA, Moinelo SR (1996) Structural characterization of coal tar pitches obtained by heat treatment under different conditions. Energy Fuels 10:436–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Marsh H, Martinez-Escandell M, Rodriguez-Reinoso F (1999) Semicokes from pitch pyrolysis: mechanisms and kinetics. Carbon 37:363–390

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Lewis IC (1987) Chemistry of pitch carbonization. Fuel 66:1527–1531

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Khandare PM, Zondlo JW, Stansberry PB, Stiller AH (2000) Rheological investigations of pitch material: part II: viscosity measurement of A240 and ARA-24 pitches using a high-temperature high-pressure rheometer. Carbon 38:889–897

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Korea Government (MSIP) (NRF-2018R1A6A1A03025761). This research was supported by the Technology Innovation Program (20011661) funded By the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE, Korea).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jae-Seung Roh.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors of this manuscript declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kim, JJ., Lee, SH., Youn, US. et al. Effect of mesophase formation from quinoline insoluble-containing coal tar pitch on physical properties of carbon blocks. Carbon Lett. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-024-00737-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-024-00737-x

Keywords

Navigation