Study of the extrusion of a typical pitch mesophase and the nature of the cokes derived therefrom

It is shown that the mesomorphic state of a typical pitch (Ashland 240), immediately prior to coking, can be extruded to produce a specified coke morphology. The rheology of the extrudate, the degree of preferred orientation induced and the nature of the cokes derived therefrom vary enormously depending on the thermal history of the pyrolysate. The extrudates and derived cokes are characterized by dilatometry and X-ray diffraction.