Mesophase pitch using steam cracker tar (CF-6)

Claim 2

A process for preparing a pitch suitable for carbon fiber manufacture comprising: providing a steam cracker tar or a vacuum stripped steam cracker tar; adding a polycondensed aromatic pitch oil boiling in an approximate range of 400° C. to 600° C. to said steam cracker tar or vacuum stripped steam cracker tar to provide a mixture; and heat soaking said mixture at temperatures in the range of from about 350° C. to about 430° C. whereby a pitch suitable for carbon artifact manufacture is obtained.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein said polycondensed aromatic oil having a boiling point range of from about 400° C. to about 600° C. is added in amounts ranging from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % based on the total mixture.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein said polycondensed aromatic oil having a boiling point range of from about 400° C. to about 600° C. is added in amounts ranging from about 30 wt. % to about 50 wt. % based on the total mixture.

Claim 5

The process of claim 2 or 3 including adding a dealkylation catalyst selected from heavy metal halides, Lewis acids and Lewis acid salts.

Claim 6

The process of claim 3 wherein the catalyst is AlCl 3 .

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 including vacuum stripping said heat soaked mixture when a steam cracker tar is provided.

Claim 8

A process of preparing a pitch from a steam cracker tar comprising: providing a steam cracker tar; heating said steam cracker tar at temperatures ranging from about 150° C. to about 430° C. at reduced pressures for times sufficient to remove from about 10 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of low boiling substances in said tar thereby providing a vacuum stripped steam cracker tar; adding from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of an aromatic oil having a boiling point ranging from about 400° C. to about 600° C. to provide a mixture; heat soaking said mixture at temperatures ranging from about 350° C. to about 430° C. to provide a pitch.

Claim 9

A process of preparing a pitch from a steam cracker tar comprising: providing a steam cracker tar; heating said steam cracker tar at temperatures ranging from about 150° C. to about 430° C. at reduced pressures for times sufficient to remove from about 10 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of low boiling substances in said tar thereby providing a vacuum stripped steam cracker tar; adding from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of an aromatic oil having a boiling point ranging from about 400° C. to about 600° C. to provide a mixture; heat soaking said mixture at temperatures ranging from about 350° C. to about 430° C. to provide a pitch.

Claim 10

The process of claim 6 wherein from about 0.025 wt. % to about 1.0 wt. % of AlCl 3 is added to the mixture prior to heat soaking.

Claim 11

A process for preparing a pitch suitable for carbon fiber manufacture comprising: providing a steam cracker tar; adding a polycondensed aromatic pitch oil boiling in an approximate range of 400° C. to 600° C. to said steam cracker tar to provide a mixture; heat soaking said mixture at temperatures in the range of from about 350° C. to about 430° C.; and vacuum stripping said heat soaked mixture.

Claim 12

A process for preparing a pitch suitable for carbon fiber manufacture comprising: providing a steam cracker tar; adding a polycondensed aromatic pitch oil boiling in an approximate range of 400° C. to 600° C. to said steam cracker tar to provide a mixture; heat soaking said mixture at temperatures in the range of from about 350° C. to about 430° C.; and vacuum stripping said heat soaked mixture.

Claim 13

The process of claim 9 wherein from about 0.025 wt. % to about 1.0 wt. % of AlCl 3 is added to the mixture prior to heat soaking.