TY - JOUR
T1 - Analyzing solid fossil-fuel pitches by a combination of Soxhlet extraction and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry
AU - Zhang, Wen
AU - Müllen, Klaus
N1 - KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01
Acknowledgements: The authors are grateful to RÜTGERS Basic Aromatics GmbH, Castrop-Rauxel, Germany for supplying the solid pitch samples. This research used resources of the Core Labs of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
PY - 2020/5/21
Y1 - 2020/5/21
N2 - Solid fossil-fuel derived pitches serve as potential feedstocks for the preparation of high-performance carbons materials, which is, however, hampered by the lack of sound knowledge on the molecular composition and structure of pitches. Soxhlet extraction and ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT ICR) mass spectrometry were combined to characterize a petroleum pitch and a coal tar pitch, as well as their toluene-soluble and toluene-insoluble fractions. Important information can be gained on the chemical nature of polycyclic aromatic compounds such as pure hydrocarbons and various N-, O- or S-derivatives, as well as the relative abundance of each molecular structure in terms of carbon number vs. hydrogen number. This is the first time that the heteroatom-containing and pure hydrocarbon aromatics were clearly differentiated in such solid pitch samples. The differences among the toluene-soluble fraction, toluene-insoluble fraction, and unfractionated intact sample of both the petroleum pitch and coal tar pitch could be systematically compared at a molecular level. Insight into the molecular structures may provide a rational basis for the use of such carbon-rich materials for the fabrication of nanographenes, organic light-emitting diodes, and carbon fibers.
AB - Solid fossil-fuel derived pitches serve as potential feedstocks for the preparation of high-performance carbons materials, which is, however, hampered by the lack of sound knowledge on the molecular composition and structure of pitches. Soxhlet extraction and ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT ICR) mass spectrometry were combined to characterize a petroleum pitch and a coal tar pitch, as well as their toluene-soluble and toluene-insoluble fractions. Important information can be gained on the chemical nature of polycyclic aromatic compounds such as pure hydrocarbons and various N-, O- or S-derivatives, as well as the relative abundance of each molecular structure in terms of carbon number vs. hydrogen number. This is the first time that the heteroatom-containing and pure hydrocarbon aromatics were clearly differentiated in such solid pitch samples. The differences among the toluene-soluble fraction, toluene-insoluble fraction, and unfractionated intact sample of both the petroleum pitch and coal tar pitch could be systematically compared at a molecular level. Insight into the molecular structures may provide a rational basis for the use of such carbon-rich materials for the fabrication of nanographenes, organic light-emitting diodes, and carbon fibers.
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10754/663957
UR - https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0008622320304802
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086825328&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.carbon.2020.05.039
DO - 10.1016/j.carbon.2020.05.039
M3 - Article
SN - 0008-6223
VL - 167
SP - 414
EP - 421
JO - Carbon
JF - Carbon
ER -