Influence of Properties of Coal Tars on Preparation of Isotropic Pitch Precursor, General Purpose Carbon Fiber and Activated Carbon Fiber

Abstract

The isotropic precursor pitches for general purpose carbon fibers and activated carbon fibers were prepared from coal tars of various origins through air-blowing reaction. The coal tars and isotropic pitches were characterized by means of solvent fractionation and NMR spectroscopy. The quality of the isotropic pitches was evaluated in terms of their spinning continuity, stabilization reactivity, strength of the resultant carbon fibers and yield of activated carbon fibers. The coal tar carrying higher aliphatic carbon content was found to produce the general purpose carbon fibers of high quality at a lower yield. In contrast all tars provided the activated carbon fiber of the same surface area at the same yield of 9% on coal tar base regardless of their variable properties.