J. Alcaniz-monge et al., Characterisation of coal tar pitches by thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy and solvent fractionation, FUEL, 80(1), 2001, pp. 41-48
Four commercially available coal tar pitches have been characterised throug
h the combination of conventional techniques used for pitch characterisatio
n, like elemental analysis and solvent fractionation, and infrared spectros
copy (FTLR) and thermal analysis (thermogravimetry (TG)-differential therma
l analysis (DTA)). The results obtained from this set of experiments provid
e suitable information to establish differences between the materials accor
ding to their industrial origin and preparation method. The differences fou
nd are a consequence of the distinct chemical composition of the pitches (d
etermined by FTIR), as well as the dissimilar chemical interaction that exi
sts between the molecules of different fractions of the parent pitch (evide
nced from DTA). These observations are responsible of the clear differences
found between a given pitch and its respective insolubles, and affect thei
r applications, i.e. in the area of carbon fibre preparation. (C) 2000 Else
vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.