Characteristics of Coal Tar Pitch-Based Mesophase Separated by High-Temperature Centrifugal Method

Abstract

Mesophase pitches which have different amount of mesophase were prepared and separated into mesophase and isotropic phases by a high-temperature centrifugal method . Properties of mesophase during formation, growth, and coalescence of mesophase spheres were investigated by measuring the solubility, density, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis.
QI was the main component of smaller mesophase spheres, and the β-resin of the isotropic matrix contributed to the growth of spheres. The density and C/H atomic ratio of mesophase were nearly constant at 1.385 g/cm³ and 2.00, respectively, during heat-treatment. The amount of functional groups of bigger spheres was larger than smaller spheres or bulk phase . Bigger spheres have better crystallite structure than smaller spheres or bulk phase.