FORMATION OF MESOPHASE SPHERULES IN LOW-QL COAL-TAR PITCHES AND DEVELOPMENT OF MONOLITHIC CARBONS THEREFROM

Three coal tar pitches having different and low contents of primary qu inoline insolubles (QI) were subjected to a series of thermal treatmen ts at a predetermined temperature for different periods of soaking. Th e development of mesophase, in terms of its size and content in the he at-treated pitches, was studied as a function of the soaking time and content of primary quinoline insolubles in the original pitches. Mesop hase spherules, with an average size of about 5 mu m, formed in one of the coal tar pitches were separated using solvent extraction employin g a suitable tar oil. These spherules, also called ''mesocarbon microb eads (MCMB)'', after being moulded into small rectangular plates, were carbonized at temperatures of 950 and 2700 degrees C to obtain fine t extured monolithic carbons possessing apparent densities of 1.66 and 1 .85 g cm(-3), respectively, at these heat-treatment temperatures.