Conoco Inc.

Ta-Wei Fu

Bruce A Newman

Manfred Katz

Keith M Roussel

John K Shigley

Hugh E Romine

Dave L Blakeburn, Ii

Robert R Griffin

The present invention resides in improved graphite nipples which are suitable for connecting graphite electrodes. The graphite nipples are prepared by adding mesophase pitch-based carbon fibers into a typical nipple extrusion blend.

Method of making graphite electrode nipple

An improved process for producing an anisotropic pitch product suitable for carbon fiber manufacture. A carbonaceous feedstock is heated at elevated temperature while passing a reactive sparging gas through the feedstock. The sparging gas is an oxidative gas such as a gaseous mixture containing a major proportion of inert gas and from about 0.1 to 2% by volume of oxygen. The process produces an anisotropic pitch having from 50 to 100% by volume mesophase which is suitable for producing good quality carbon fibers.

Process for making mesophase pitch

Binder pitch is prepared by combining a petroleum aromatic mineral oil thermal tar and super finely subdivided calcined premium coke particles. The petroleum aromatic mineral oil thermal tar is obtained by hydrotreating, thermally cracking and vacuum distilling an aromatic mineral oil. Additionally, the aromatic mineral oil thermal tar may be subjected to heat soaking.

Binder pitch and method of preparation

An improved process for producing an anisotropic pitch product suitable for carbon fiber manufacture. A carbonaceous feedstock substantially free of mesophase pitch is heated at elevated temperature while passing an oxidatively reactive sparging gas such as air through the feedstock. The oxidatively treated feedstock, which contains isotropic pitch, is solvent fractionated to recover a solid pitch which on fusion becomes an anisotropic pitch product having from 50 to 100 percent by volume mesophase. In one aspect of the invention the carbonaceous feedstock is oxidatively treated in a melt phase at a lower temperature and the resulting isotropic pitch is then heated at a higher temperature in a melt phase in the presence or absence of a non-oxidative sparging gas prior to solvent fractionation.

Process for the production of mesophase

An improved process for producing an anisotropic pitch product suitable for carbon fiber manufacture. A carbonaceous feedstock substantially free of mesophase pitch is heated at elevated temperature while passing an oxidatively reactive sparging gas such as air through the feedstock. The oxidatively treated feedstock, which remains substantially free of mesophase pitch, is then heated at a higher temperature in the presence of a non-oxidative sparging gas to produce an anisotropic pitch having from 50 to 100% by volume mesophase which is suitable for producing good quality carbon fibers.

Process for the production of mesophase pitch

Properties of premium coke are improved by coking the feed at a temperature lower than the normal coking temperature and thereafter subjecting the coke to a heat soak at substantially the same temperature as the temperature at which the coke was formed.

Method for improving the properties of premium coke

In a delayed premium coking process utilizing as feedstock an aromatic mineral oil having a high aromatic content and a low molecular weight, coke CTE is reduced and coke particle size is increased by sparging with a gas during the coking cycle.

Premium coking process

A process for providing more uniform premium coke in a delayed coking operation by adding an aliphatic petroleum fraction to the premium coking feed during the latter part of the coking cycle. Preferably the aliphatic petroleum fraction is added gradually and is increased in quantity over the period of addition.

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Ponca City, OK, United States of America

Ta-Wei Fu