Synthesis of Mesophase Carbon Microbeads from Soft Bitumen and Coal Tar by Liquid Phase Carbonization Method

In this research, coal tar and soft bitumen were used as raw materials and the low-cost liquid phase carbonization (LCP) method was employed to synthesize mesophase carbon microbeads. First, the effect of temperature, time, and various pressures on the synthesis of mesophase bitumen was investigated. Also, the effect of various solvents on the synthesis efficiency of mesophase carbon microbeads was evaluated. The structural and chemical characteristics of the mesophase carbon microbeads were evaluated using field emission scanning electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the pressure of 7 bar and extraction with solvent of pyridine had a great effect on the morphology, removal of impurities in raw materials, and production efficiency. Also, the results of XRD and SEM revealed that mesophase carbon microbeads were not always spherical in shape.