Vilaplana-Ortego, Eduardo, Lillo-Rodenas, Maria Angeles, Alcañiz-Monge, Juan, Cazorla-Amorós, Diego, Linares-Solano, Angel
New insights on the direct activation of isotropic petroleum pitch by alkaline hydroxides
VILAPLANA-ORTEGO, E., et al. "New insights on the direct activation of isotropic petroleum pitch by alkaline hydroxides". Fuel Processing Technology. Vol. 91, Issue 2 (Feb. 2010). ISSN 0378-3820, pp. 145-149
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10045/20446
DOI: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2009.08.024
ISSN: 0378-3820 (Print)
Abstract: 
The paper provides interesting evidences that a low softening point isotropic petroleum pitch can be used as a good carbon precursor for the preparation of activated carbons. The activation is carried out by KOH and/or NaOH and the resulting activated carbons present well developed porosity. Such hydroxide activations can be done directly on the pristine petroleum pitch (P) or on the pitch that has been submitted to an air stabilisation followed by a N2 heat treatment (TAN). In general, KOH activation produces better results than NaOH, both in terms of porosity and yield, the results obtained for the activation of TAN being impressive because of the good porosity developments and high yields reached. The different treatments carried out over the petroleum pitch precursor clearly show that they significantly influence the extent of microporosity development. This is due to different changes occurring in the porous structure of the precursor as a function of the treatment carried out. The efficiency of the activation process increases as the mesophase content of the precursor decreases, as well as the mesophase formation during the activation process is avoided.
Keywords:Isotropic pitch, Chemical activation, Microporosity, Activated carbon
Elsevier
info:eu-repo/semantics/article