US4317809A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Carbon fiber production using high pressure treatment of a precursor material
Assignee: BP Corp North America Inc
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Filing: 1979-10-22
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Granted: 1982-03-02
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Expires: 1999-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A process for producing a carbon fiber includes the steps of heating a selected precursor material under high pressure, thereafter heating the precursor material under atmospheric pressure with sparging to form a mesophase pitch, spinning the mesophase pitch into at least one pitch fiber, thermosetting the pitch fiber, and carbonizing the pitch fiber to obtain the carbon fiber.
Inventors
- 👤 Irwin C. Lewis
- 👤 Arthur W. Moore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 20:29
CPC Classifications
D; D01; D01F; D01F9/00; D01F9/08; D01F9/12; D01F9/14; D01F9/32; D01F9/322; C; C10; C10C; C10C3/00; C10C3/002; D01F9/145
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A process for producing a carbon fiber, comprising the steps of: subjecting a precursor material selected from the group consisting of ethylene tar, ethylene tar distillate, and gas oil to a thermal-pressure treatment as a batch treatment for a temperature range from about 400° C. to about 475° C. and for a pressure from about 200 psig to about 1500 psig; thereafter, subjecting the precursor material to heating under atmospheric pressure while sparging with an inert gas to form a mesophase pitch; spinning the mesophase pitch into at least one pitch fiber; and converting the pitch fiber into the carbon fiber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
A process for producing a carbon fiber, comprising the steps of: subjecting a precursor material selected from the group consisting of ethylene tar, ethylene tar distillate, and gas oil to a thermal-pressure treatment as a batch treatment for a temperature range from about 400° C. to about 475° C. and for a pressure from about 200 psig to about 1500 psig; thereafter, subjecting the precursor material to heating under atmospheric pressure while sparging with an inert gas to form a mesophase pitch; spinning the mesophase pitch into at least one pitch fiber; and converting the pitch fiber into the carbon fiber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the pitch fiber is subjecting to thermosetting and then carbonized to the carbon fiber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the soaking volume factor for the thermal-pressure treatment is from about 0.4 to about 8.6.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 3, wherein the thermal-pressure treatment is continued until the Conradson carbon content of the precursor material is from about 20% to about 65%.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 4, wherein the Conradson carbon content is at least about 30%.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 4, wherein the thermal-pressure treatment is carried out with the precursor material being agitated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 6, wherein the agitation is in the form of stirring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 4, further comprising filtering the precursor material subsequent to the thermal-pressure treatment to remove infusible solids.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 4, further comprising distilling the precursor material subsequent to the thermal-pressure treatment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 9, wherein the distilling raises the Conradson carbon content of the precursor material to at least 40%.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
96 words
A process of producing a carbon fiber, comprising the steps of: subjecting a precursor material selected from the group consisting of napthalene, anthracene, and dimethylnaphthalenes to a thermal-pressure treatment as a batch treatment for a temperature from about 400° C. to about 500° C. and for a pressure from about 200 psig to about 1500 psig; thereafter, subjecting the precursor material to heating under atmospheric pressure while sparging with an inert gas to form a mesophase pitch; spinning the mesophase pitch into at least one pitch fiber; and converting the pitch fiber into the carbon fiber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
96 words
A process of producing a carbon fiber, comprising the steps of: subjecting a precursor material selected from the group consisting of napthalene, anthracene, and dimethylnaphthalenes to a thermal-pressure treatment as a batch treatment for a temperature from about 400° C. to about 500° C. and for a pressure from about 200 psig to about 1500 psig; thereafter, subjecting the precursor material to heating under atmospheric pressure while sparging with an inert gas to form a mesophase pitch; spinning the mesophase pitch into at least one pitch fiber; and converting the pitch fiber into the carbon fiber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 11, wherein the soaking volume factor for the thermal-pressure treatment is from about 0.4 to about 8.6.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 12, wherein the thermal-pressure treatment is continued until the Conradson carbon content of the precursor material is from about 20% to about 65%.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 13, wherein the Conradson carbon content is at least about 30%.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 13, wherein the thermal-pressure treatment is carried out with the precursor material being agitated.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 15, wherein the agitation is in the form of stirring.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 13, further comprising filtering the precursor material subsequent to the thermal-pressure treatment to remove infusible solids.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 13, further comprising distilling the precursor material subsequent to the thermal-pressure treatment.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 18, wherein the distilling raises the Conradson carbon content of the precursor material to at least 40%.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
100 words
A process for producing a carbon fiber, comprising the steps of: subjecting a precursor material selected from the group consisting of ethylene tar, ethylene tar distillate, and gas oil, to a thermal-pressure treatment as a continuous treatment for a termperature from about 420° C. to about 550° C. and for a pressure from about 200 psig to about 1500 psig; thereafter, subjecting the precursor material to heating under atmospheric pressure while sparging with an inert gas to form a mesophase pitch; spinning the mesophase pitch into at least one pitch fiber; and converting the pitch fiber into the carbon fiber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
100 words
A process for producing a carbon fiber, comprising the steps of: subjecting a precursor material selected from the group consisting of ethylene tar, ethylene tar distillate, and gas oil, to a thermal-pressure treatment as a continuous treatment for a termperature from about 420° C. to about 550° C. and for a pressure from about 200 psig to about 1500 psig; thereafter, subjecting the precursor material to heating under atmospheric pressure while sparging with an inert gas to form a mesophase pitch; spinning the mesophase pitch into at least one pitch fiber; and converting the pitch fiber into the carbon fiber.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 20, wherein the soaking volume factor for the thermal-pressure treatment is from about 0.4 to about 2.6.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 21, wherein the thermal-pressure treatment is continued until the Conradson carbon content of the precursor material is from about 5% to about 65%.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 22, wherein the Conradson carbon content is at least about 10%.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 22, further comprising filtering the precursor material subsequent to the thermal-pressure treatment to remove infusible solids.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 22, further comprising distilling the precursor material subsequent to the thermal-pressure treatment.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 25, wherein the distilling raises the Conradson carbon content of the precursor material to at least 40%.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
81 words
A process for producing a mesophase pitch comprising the steps of: subjecting a precursor material selected from the group consisting of ethylene tar, ethylene tar distillate, and gas oil to thermal-pressure treatment as a batch treatment for a temperature from about 400° C. to about 475° C. and for a pressure from about 200 psig to about 1500 psig; and thereafter, subjecting the precursor material to heating under atmospheric pressure while sparging with an inert gas to form the mesophase pitch.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
81 words
A process for producing a mesophase pitch comprising the steps of: subjecting a precursor material selected from the group consisting of ethylene tar, ethylene tar distillate, and gas oil to thermal-pressure treatment as a batch treatment for a temperature from about 400° C. to about 475° C. and for a pressure from about 200 psig to about 1500 psig; and thereafter, subjecting the precursor material to heating under atmospheric pressure while sparging with an inert gas to form the mesophase pitch.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process for producing a mesophase pitch comprising the steps of: subjecting a precursor material selected from the group consisting of napthalene, anthracene, and dimethylnaphthalenes to a thermal-pressure treatment as a batch treatment at a temperature from about 400° C. to about 500° C. and for a pressure from about 200 psig to about 1500 psig; and thereafter, subjecting the precursor material to heating under atmospheric pressure while sparging with an inert gas to form the mesophase pitch.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process for producing a mesophase pitch comprising the steps of: subjecting a precursor material selected from the group consisting of napthalene, anthracene, and dimethylnaphthalenes to a thermal-pressure treatment as a batch treatment at a temperature from about 400° C. to about 500° C. and for a pressure from about 200 psig to about 1500 psig; and thereafter, subjecting the precursor material to heating under atmospheric pressure while sparging with an inert gas to form the mesophase pitch.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 28, wherein the soaking volume factor for the thermal-pressure treatment is from about 0.4 to about 8.6.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 29, wherein the thermal-pressure treatment is continued until the Conradson carbon content of the precursor material is from about 20% to about 65%.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 30, wherein the Conradson carbon content is at least about 30%.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 30, wherein the thermal-pressure treatment is carried out with the precursor material being agitated.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 32, wherein the agitation is in the form of stirring.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 30, further comprising filtering the precursor material subsequent to the thermal-pressure treatment to remove infusible solids.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 30, further comprising distilling the precursor material subsequent to the thermal-pressure treatment.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 35, wherein the distilling raises the Conradson carbon content of the precursor material to at least 40%.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-03-01 | 1985-08-31 | 1986-03-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-03-01 | 1989-08-31 | 1990-03-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-03-01 | 1993-08-31 | 1994-03-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |