Developing coal tar/petroleum pitches

Abstract

Over the years the aluminum industry has evaluated the potential use of petroleum derived binders for producing anodes. Although this effort has been intense, unfortunately many of these evaluations produced less than desirable results. Initially economics drove these efforts, however in the future raw material availability and environmental regulations may drive the evaluation of all new raw materials. This paper will discuss the rationale behind developing coal tar/petroleum binder pitches including the future of coal tar pitch supplies, the potential environmental advantages of coal tar/petroleum pitches, and commercial experience with coal tar/petroleum pitches.