Artificial graphites have been used in various applications, for example, as anode materials for Li-ion batteries, C/C composites, and electrodes for aluminum smelting, due to their unique mechanical strength and high thermal and electrical conductivity. Artificial graphites can be manufactured by a series of kneading, molding, carbonization and graphitization processes with an additional impregnation process. In this study, the influence of the process variables in the kneading and carbonization/graphitization process on the properties of the resulting carbon block was systemically investigated. During the kneading process, the optimum kneading temperature was 90 °C higher than the softening point of the binder pitch; thus, the binder pitch reached its maximum fluidity. On the other hand, during the carbonization and graphitization process, the structural properties of carbon blocks prepared at different heat treatment temperatures were examined and their structural change and evolution were closely described according to the temperature and divided into low-temperature carbonization and high-temperature carbonization/graphitization. Based on this study, we expect to provide a better understanding of setting the parameters for thermally conductive carbon block manufacturing.

Bulk graphite is manufactured using graphite scrap as the filler and phenolic resin as the binder. Graphite scrap, which is the by-product of processing the final graphite product, is pulverized and sieved by particle size. The relationship between the density and porosity is analyzed by measuring the mechanical properties of bulk graphite. The filler materials are sieved into mean particle sizes of 10.62, 23.38, 54.09, 84.29, and 126.64 μm. The bulk graphite density using the filler powder with a particle size of 54.09 μm is 1.38 g/cm3, which is the highest value in this study. The compressive strength tends to increase as the bulk graphite density increases. The highest compressive strength of 43.14 MPa is achieved with the 54.09 μm powder. The highest flexural strength of 23.08 MPa is achieved using the 10.62 μm powder, having the smallest average particle size. The compressive strength is affected by the density of bulk graphite, and the flexural strength is affected by the filler particle size of bulk graphite.

Pyrolyzed fuel oil (PFO) and coal tar was blended in the feedstock to produce pitch via thermal reaction. The blended feedstock and produced pitch were characterized to investigate the effect of the blending ratio. In the feedstock analysis, coal tar exhibited a distinct distribution in its boiling point related to the number of aromatic rings and showed higher Conradson carbon residue and aromaticity values of 26.6% and 0.67%, respectively, compared with PFO. The pitch yield changed with the blending ratio, while the softening point of the produced pitch was determined by the PFO ratio in the blends. On the other hand, the carbon yield increased with increasing coal tar ratio in the blends. This phenomenon indicated that the formation of aliphatic bridges in PFO may occur during the thermal reaction, resulting in an increased softening point. In addition, it was confirmed that the molecular weight distribution of the produced pitch was associated with the predominant feedstock in the blend.

Isotropic synthetic graphite scrap and phenolic resin were mixed, and the mixed powder was formed at 300 MPa to produce a green body. New bulk graphite was produced by carbon-izing the green body at 700°C, and the bulk graphite thus produced was impregnated with resin and re-carbonized at 700°C. The bulk density of the bulk graphite was 1.29 g/cm3, and the porosity of the open pores was 29.8%. After one impregnation, the density increased to 1.44 g/cm3 while the porosity decreased to 25.2%. Differences in the pore distribution before and after impregnation were easily confirmedby observing the microstructure. In addition, by using an X-ray diffractometer, the degrees-of-alignment (Da) were obtained for one side perpendicular to the direction of compression molding of the bulk graphite (the “top-face”), and one side parallel to the direction of compression molding (the “side-face”). The anisot-ropy ratio calculated from the Da-values obtained was 1.13, which indicates comparatively good isotropy.

Physical properties of artificial graphite electrodes were evaluated along three different directions; circumferential (X), radial (Y), and axial (Z) directions. Four kinds of commercial electrode products were used in this study for the evaluation; pole (AP) and nipple (AN) of manufacturer A, pole (BP) and nipple (BN) of manufacturer B. The mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties in X and Y directions were very similar to each other. In Z direction, however, the mechanical properties, including flexural strength and compressive strength, were higher, and electric resistance and thermal expansion were much lower than those in the other directions. The microstructures observed by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope revealed that the differences in properties by the measuring direction were caused by the preferential alignment of needle cokes along the Z direction. When comparing the properties of the electrode samples in the same direction, the mechanical properties mainly depended on the bulk density or porosity of the samples as well as preferential alignment of needle cokes.