Importance of primary quinoline insoluble in binder pitch for anode

Abstract

Laboratory scale anodes were manufactured with a fixed coke and six binder pitches having different primary quinoline insoluble (QI) between 9 and 22%. Binder matrices were also made for CO2 and air reactivity tests. Three of them were commercial products and the others were made experimentally, and none of them contained mesophase. Softening point of these pitches was around 110°C. The pitch with the largest amount of primary QI showed higher coking value, and thus it gave higher bulk density of baked anode. The increase in bulk density improved compressive strength. Electrical resistivity, which decreased with increasing bulk density, was not deteriorated by the larger amount of primary QI in pitch. Despite the high QI content, no acceleration of oxidation in CO2 and air was observed in the binder matrix tests. These results showed that the pitch with high primary QI is more favorable as a binder pitch for anode.