Texture control of carbons by mixing polyethyleneterephthalate into pitch

Abstract

Mixtures of pitch and polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) powders were carbonized in a gold tube under various pressures. Carbon yields, optical textures and the process of formation and growth of mesophase were studied. The carbon yields gradually decreased with an increase in PET content. By carbonization under normal pressure, only 10 to 20 wt % of PET was effective to obtain a homogeneous optical texture of fine mosaic type. Under a pressure of 30 MPa, carbon with a fine mosaic texture was found in a larger range of PET content of 30 to 50 wt% with a high carbon yield. The nucleation of mesophase in the pitch-PET system at 450° C under 5 MPa was more rapid and larger in number than in the pitch alone.