A new concept for petroleum pitch: available carbon precursor

摘要

Coal tar pitch has been traditionally used for the production of carbon materials. Nowadays, new factors are playing against this carbon precursor mainly more restrictive environmental and work health regulations and a decrease in availability. As the environmental and health policies become even more severe, a new pitch is demanded by the market. This new product is currently being produced by REPSOL YPF from a new petroleum stream. The future of well established and new emerging carbon industries depend on the availability of an environmentally accepted, non-expensive, high purity precursor which could be supplied at constant quality. REPSOL YPF′s new petroleum pitch satisfies all the demands of the Carbon Industry. With this premise, a big effort has been recently made for adapting industrial processes to this new material. However, there are still new challenges to be overcame both in well established and new emerging carbon industries.