Organometallic containing mesophase pitches for spinning into pitch

Abstract

An improved process is disclosed for producing a unique metals-containing anisotropic pitch suitable for carbon fiber manufacture. Soluble, aromatic-organometallic compounds are added to a carbonaceous feedstock which is substantially free of mesophase pitch and the resulting composition is heat soaked to produce an isotropic pitch product containing mesogens and soluble, aromatic-organometallic compounds. Next, the pitch product is solvent fractionated to separate mesogens which contain metals from the organometallic compounds. The metals-containing mesogens are heated to a temperature sufficient to cause fusion to produce a metals-containing mesophase pitch. In another method, the carbonaceous feedstock is heat soaked to produce an isotropic pitch product containing mesogens and high molecular weight, soluble, aromatic-organometallic compounds are added to the mesogen containing isotropic pitch product prior to solvent fractionation. Metals-containing carbon fibers produced from the mesophase pitch exhibit enhanced stabilization, tensile strength and modulus properties. Alternatively, the solvent fractionation or separation is conducted under supercritical extraction conditions to produce a metals-containing mesophase pitch. Organometallic compounds may be added to the carbonaceous feedstock either prior to or after the heat soak step.