Medium–low-temperature coal tar pitch (MLP) is a by-product of semi-coke fabrication with a high content of carbon. However, the small amount of aromatic organic compounds in MLP makes prevents its practical use as a feedstock for the production of high-quality artificial carbon materials (such as needle coke) via direct thermal conversion. To understand the effects of autogenous pressure thermal polymerization (APTP) on the microstructure of mesophase coke, we performed APTP at different reaction temperatures to produce MLP, which was further utilized as a starting material for the synthesis of mesophase coke. The microstructure of mesophase coke was studied by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the micro-strength of the mesophase coke was examined. We concluded that the APTP treatment of MLP before direct carbonization of a liquid is an excellent method for the production of high-quality mesophase coke.

中文翻译：

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高压热聚合改性中低温煤焦油沥青中间相焦的合成与表征

中低温煤焦油沥青 (MLP) 是半焦制造的副产品，含碳量高。然而，MLP 中少量的芳香族有机化合物阻碍了其作为直接热转化生产高质量人造碳材料（如针状焦）的原料的实际应用。为了了解自生压力热聚合 (APTP) 对中间相焦微观结构的影响，我们在不同的反应温度下进行 APTP 以生产 MLP，其进一步用作合成中间相焦的起始材料。通过光学显微镜、X射线衍射、拉曼光谱和扫描电子显微镜研究了中间相焦的微观结构。此外，检查了中间相焦炭的显微强度。