Molecular composition of needle coke feedstocks and mesophase development

FCC decant oils (DO) and their derivatives, coker feed, hydrotreated decant oil), and vacuum tower bottom fraction were carbonized in laboratory reactors to monitor the mesophase development. The DO derivatives produced a higher degree of mesophase development than that obtained from their parent decant oils. The major molecular constituents of DO and their dervivative consist of 3- to 6- ring PAH, including phenanthrene, pyrene, chrysene, benzopyrene, perylene, and benzo[ghi]perylene. Significant differences exist in the concentration of the PAH ring systems among the DO and their derivatives. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 231st ACS National Meeting (Atlanta, GA 3/26-30/2006).