PURPOSE: To provide a new method for producing a unique metal-containing isotropic pitch material that is suitable for production of carbon fiber. ;CONSTITUTION: A soluble aromatic organometallic compound is added to a carbon starting material that is substantially defective in the meso phase pitch, the resultant mixture is subjected to the heat soaking to give the isotropic pitch containing mesogen and soluble organometallic compound. Then, the pitch products are subjected to the solvent separation to separate the mesodiene containing the metal from the organometallic compound. This metal-containing mesogen is heated up to sufficiently elevated temperature and fused to form the metal-containing mesophase pitch. In another process, the carbon starting material is thermally soaked to form isotropic pitch product containing mesogen. A high-molecular-weight soluble aromatic organometallic compound is added to the mesogen-containing isotropic pitch product, then subjected to the solvent separation. The metal-containing carbon fiber produced from the mesophase pitch shows increased stability and tensile strength. Alternatively, the solvent fractionation or separation is carried out under supercritical conditions to form metal-containing mesophase pitch. The formulation of the organometallic compound to the carbon source may be done either of before or after thermal soaking.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1999,JPO
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