Preparation of carbon discs using petroleum-based binder pitch reformed with carbon black

Preparation of carbon discs using petroleum-based binder pitch reformed with carbon black

Carbon materials are widely used in various industry applications, such as a carbon fibers, graphite brushes, aluminum engineering and binders, because carbon materials have high specific strength, high conductivity, excellent thermal shock resistance, and other favorable properties [1-4]. These carbon materials are prepared from various precursors, such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN), phenolic resins and pitches. Among these precursors, pitches are more economical than PAN and phenol resin, and it is possible to control the pitch properties according to the manufacturing conditions so pitches are widely used [5-8]. Pitches are generally divided into coal tar-based pitches and petroleum-based pitches. The raw materials of the petroleum-based pitch are obtained through petroleum refining processes, such as fluidized catalytic cracking decant oil, vacuum residue and pyrolyzed fuel oil (PFO). These residue oils are reformed to petroleum-based pitches that are solid at room temperature and for which the molecular weight is controlled through cyclization, aromatization and polymerization conducted using high-temperature heat treatment [9-13].