Physical and Chemical Characterization of Bio-Pitch as a Potential Binder for Anode

Aluminium producers are constantly facing challenges regarding the increase in production costs including those related to coal tar pitch (CTP). CTP is used as binder to produce carbon anodes. Alternative sources to CTP capable of addressing the cost and health issues without decreasing anode quality, are thus of great interest. Bio-pitches, produced from bio-oils, could be a good candidate in this regard. The objective of this study is to characterize bio-pitch, obtained from different origins, and to reveal its potential as an alternative for CTP in anode production process. Three bio-pitches were produced from different bio-mass sources under the same pyrolysis conditions. Both physical and chemical properties of bio-pitches were characterized, such as density, softening point, coking value, quinoline insoluble, molecular weight, viscosity, chemical groups and surface composition. The microstructures of the three bio-pitches were also compared to that of CTP.