SOLID PETROLEUM RESIDUE AS MACROSCOPIC MODEL SYSTEMS FOR THE STUDY OFMICROSTRUCTURE IN METAL MATERIALS

Conventional character of dividing materials into crystal and amorphou s is shown and principal correctness of comparison between metal mater ials and special class of solid residue-petroleum pitches is substanti ated. Similarity between some structural peculiarities and behaviour o f the given materials are revealed. The scale shift is defined, implyi ng that the properties and the behaviour inherent to metal materials o n microscale are realized in petroleum pitches on macroscopic scale. I t enables us to use petroleum pitches as a macroscopic model system fo r microstructure research in metal materials. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scienc e S.A.