• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.817-824
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• 1997

Stabilization is a key stage in the production of advanced carbon/carbon composites (ACC) from mesophase pitch, to render the mesophase infusible and the prevention of puffing during the subsequent carbonization. It is generally known that stabilization process as well as properties of mesophase pitch has a great deal of influence on the properties of the resultant ACC. Hence, it is possible to infer the properties of ACC by examing the stabilized mesophase pitch. In this study, extractions by solvents or acidified solvents extraction were carried out from the A-240 petroleum pitch. The extracted pitches were made into mesophase by heat treatments. Oxidative stabilization by air and non-oxidative stabilization by a chemical free radical initiator were performed. When a soluble polymer is fully stabilized, it should become insoluble in solvents. This phenomenon was used to estimated the degree of stabilization. The non-oxygen stabilized mesophase pitch powder was compared with the air stabilized mesophase pitch powder. FTIR provided additional information on the functional groups.

• Carbon letters
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• v.22
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• pp.70-80
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• 2017

Activated carbons (ACs) have been used as electrode materials of electric double-layer capacitors (EDLC) due to their high specific surface areas (SSA), stability, and ecological advantages. In order to make high-energy-density ACs for EDLC, petroleum pitch (PP) pre-carbonized at $500-1000^{\circ}C$ in $N_2$ gas for 1 h was used as the electrode material of the EDLC after KOH activation. As the pre-carbonization temperature increased, the SSA, pore volume and gravimetric capacitance tended to decrease, but the crystallinity and electrode density tended to increase, showing a maximum volumetric capacitance at a medium carbonization temperature. Therefore, it was possible to control the crystalline structure, SSA, and pore structure of AC by changing the pre-carbonization temperature. Because the electrode density increased with increasing of the pre-carbonization temperature, the highest volumetric capacitance of 28.4 F/cc was obtained from the PP pre-carbonized at $700^{\circ}C$, exhibiting a value over 150% of that of a commercial AC (MSP-20) for EDLC. Electrochemical activation was observed from the electrodes of PP as they were pre-carbonized at high temperatures above $700^{\circ}C$ and then activated by KOH. This process was found to have a significant effect on the specific capacitance and it was demonstrated that the higher charging voltage of EDLC was, the greater the electrochemical activation effect was.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.439-445
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• 2022

In this study, Silicon and petroleum pitch were coated on the surface of Si/C fiber manufactured using electrospinning to improve the electrochemical performances. SiO₂/PAN fiber was prepared by electrospinning with TEOS and PAN at various ratios dissolved in DMF. The characteristics of carbonization, reduction, and pitch coating processes were investigated for the optimal process of the pitch coated Si/C fiber anode composite. Anode composite prepared with TEOS/PAN = 4/6 (CR-46) after carbonization and reduction process has a capacity of 657 mAh/g. To improve capacity and stability, Si powder and PFO pitch were coated at the surface of CR-46. When the pitch composition was fixed at 10 wt%, it was found that the capacity increased as the weight ratio of silicon increased, but the stability decreased. The pitch coated Si/C fiber composite with 10 wt% silicon has high capacity of 982.4 mAh/g and capacity retention of 86.1%. In the test to evaluate rate performance, the rate capability was 80.2% (5C/0.1C).

• Carbon letters
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2003

MCMB (mesocarbon microbeads) has been synthesized from coal tar pitch, petroleum pitch and polymer compound generally. But yield of MCMB was low about 20~40 wt% and was not above 50 wt%. Neither MCMB was replaced with natural graphite because of economic performance, refining MCMB, and control of the particle size distribution. This study was performed to elevate yield of MCMB and to develop technique of particle size distribution. As the result, yield of MCMB that was synthesized from coal tar pitch increased more than 60 wt% about raw material and particle size of MCMB was restrained according to control of QI (quinoline insoluble) ingredient in raw pitch, heat treatment temperature and time.

• Carbon letters
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• v.23
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• pp.22-29
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• 2017

The compressive strength and electrical resistance of pitch-based carbon fiber (CF) in cementitious materials are explored to determine the feasibility of its use as a functional material in construction. The most widely used CFs are manufactured from polyacrylonitrile (PAN-based CF). Alternatively, short CFs are obtained in an economical way using pitch as a precursor in a melt-blown process (pitch-based CF), which is cheaper and more eco-friendly method because this pitch-based CF is basically recycled from petroleum residue. In the construction field, PAN-based CFs in the form of fabric are used for rehabilitation purposes to reinforce concrete slabs and piers because of their high mechanical properties. However, studies have revealed that construction materials with pitch-based CF are not popular. This study explores the compressive strength and electrical resistances of a cement paste prism using pitch-based CF.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1435-1440
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• 2013

To investigate the influence of the carbon matrix on the electrochemical performance of Si/C composites, four types of Si/C composites were prepared using graphite, petroleum coke, pitch and sucrose as carbon precursors. A ball mill was used to prepare Si/C blends from graphite and petroleum coke, whereas a dispersion technique was used to fabricate Si/C composites where Si was embedded in disordered carbon matrix derived from pitch or sucrose. The Si/pitch-based carbon composite showed superior Si utilization (96% in the first cycle) and excellent cycle retention (70% after 40 cycles), which was attributed to the effective encapsulation of Si and the buffering effect of the surrounding carbon matrix on the silicon particles.

• Carbon letters
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.78-85
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• 2015

Activated carbons (ACs) were prepared by activation of coal tar pitch (CTP) in the range of $700^{\circ}C-1000^{\circ}C$ for 1-4 h using potassium hydroxide (KOH) powder as the activation agent. The optimal activation conditions were determined to be a CTP/KOH ratio of 1:4, activation temperature of $900^{\circ}C$, and activation time of 3 h. The obtained ACs showed increased pore size distribution in the range of 1 to 2 nm and the highest specific capacitance of 122 F/g in a two-electrode system with an organic electrolyte, as measured by a charge-discharge method in the voltage range of 0-2.7 V. In order to improve the performance of the electric double-layer capacitor electrode, various mixtures of CTP and petroleum pitch (PP) were activated at the optimal activation conditions previously determined for CTP. Although the specific capacitance of AC electrodes prepared from CTP only and the mixtures of CTP and PP was not significantly different at a current density of 1 A/g, the AC electrodes from CTP and PP mixtures showed outstanding specific capacitance at higher current rates. In particular, CTP-PP61 (6:1 mixture) had the highest specific capacitance of 132 F/g, and the specific capacitance remained above 90% at a high current density of 3 A/g. It was found that the high specific capacitance could be attributed to the increased micro-pore volume of ACs with pore sizes from 1 to 2 nm, and the high power density could be attributed to the increased meso-pore volume.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.408-415
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• 2014

In order to prepare high-quality activated carbons (ACs), coal tar pitch (CTP), and mixtures of CTP and petroleum pitch (PP) were activated with KOH. The ACs prepared by activation of CTP in the range of $700{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$ for 1~5 h had very porous textures with large specific surface areas of $2470{\sim}3081m^2/g$. The optimal activation conditions of CTP were determined as CTP/KOH ratio of 1:4, activation temperature of $900^{\circ}C$, and activation time of 3 h. The obtained AC showed the highest micro-pore volume, and pretty high specific surface area and meso-pore volume. The micro-pore volumes and specific areas of activated mixtures of CTP and PP were similar to each other but the meso-pore volume could be increased. In order to change the degree of crystallinity of precursors before KOH activation process, the CTPs were carbonized in the range of $500{\sim}900^{\circ}C$. As the carbonization temperature increased, the specific surface area and pore volume of the activated ACs with the same activation conditions for CTP decreased dramatically. It was demonstrated that the increased pore size distribution of AC electrodes in the range of 1 to 2 nm plays an important role in the performance of electric double-layer capacitor.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2021

In this study, a sensor for detection of nitric oxide (NO) gas was developed using petroleum pitch-based activated carbon which was synthesized from pyrolysis fuel oil (PFO). Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was added to increase molecular weight by stimulating a polymerization of components in PFO during the pitch synthesis process. The increase in the molecular weight of pitch contributed to the improvement of textural properties of activated carbon, such as the specific surface area and micropore volume. It also enhanced the sensitivity of NO gas sensor based on the activated carbon. In addition, the effect of PET addition during the pitch synthesis on the surface oxygen content and conductivity of activated carbon was investigated. Finally, the correlation of the sensitivity with physical properties of activated carbon was analyzed.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.534-538
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• 2017

In this study, the molecular weight controlled pitches derived from pyrolyzed fuel oil (PFO) were prepared using solvent extraction and were carbonized. Electrochemical characteristics of lithium battery anode materials were investigated using these petroleum pitches. Three pitch samples prepared by the thermal reaction were 3903 (at $390^{\circ}C$ for 3 h), 4001 (at $400^{\circ}C$ for 1 h) and 4002 (at $400^{\circ}C$ for 2 h). The prepared hexane insoluble pitches were analysed by XRD, TGA, SEM and Gel permeation Chromatography (GPC). The electrochemical characteristics of the PFO-derived pitch as an anode material were investigated by constant current charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance tests. The coin cell using pitch (4001) and the electrolyte of $LiPF_6$ in organic solvents (EC : DMC = 1 : 1 vol%, VC 3 wt%) has better initial capacity (310 mAh/g) than that of other pitch coin cells. Also, this carbon anode showd a high initial efficiency of 82%, retention rate capability at 2 C/0.1 C of 90% and cycle retention of 85%. It was found that modified pitches improved the cycling and rate capacity performance.