Process for preparing mesophase pitches.

摘要

A process for an efficient preparation of a mesophase pitch is disclosed. The process is suitable for the production of high performance carbon fibers, from a coal tar or a petroleum residual oil. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a homogeneous mesophase pitch which comprises a continuous thermal treatment of a heavy oil or a pitch which does not contain quinoline insoluble fractions, in the presence or absence of an aromatic oil, subsequent distillation of the thermally treated product, recovery of a pitch with extremely low quinoline insoluble contents, hydrogenation of the pitch by continuous thermal treatment in the presence of a hydrogen-donating solvent, distillation and recovery of a hydrogenated pitch, and thermal treatment of the hydrogenated pitch. The mesophase pitch prepared by the process of the present invention is suitable for the production of high performance carbon fibers.