Fine-grained graphite with super molten salt barrier property produced from filler of natural graphite flake by a liquid-phase mixing process

Abstract

A series of fine-grained graphite (FG) derived from the mixtures of coal-tar pitch, natural graphite flake (NGF) and tetrahydrofuran were prepared by a liquid-phase mixing process. And another FG was prepared from same coal-tar pitch and NGF by a conventional mixing process and named as CG. Compared with CG, several kinds of FG produced by liquid-phase mixing process exhibited much better comprehensive properties such as higher graphitization degree, smaller median pore diameter, lower open porosity, higher mechanical strength and better molten salt barrier property. And thus, these kinds of graphite not only might be used as moderator or reflector materials for molten salt reactor, but also might have great potential application in sealing area after being impregnated with resin, silver, PTFE, and so on. This work demonstrated that the liquid-phase mixing process had more advantages in improving the structure and properties of FG than conventional mixing process. Furthermore, the related mechanisms were also discussed in detail in this paper.