Structural properties of petroleum coke

Depending on its quality, petroleum coke could be used as a source of fuel, as anodes in the electrolysis, in the graphite industry, as high purity reactant and in the preparation of carbon artefacts. Among others, application of coke is determined by their structure properties. Coking of petroleum residue involves pyrolytic reactions and rearrangements that produce free radicals, which can recombine through condensation and polymerization reactions to form larger molecules and ultimately coke. The chemistry of the pyrolysis system controls the structure and properties of resultant semicokes-cokes-carbons. The feedstock is converted to a coke (of various quality) via a mechanism involving the formation of mesophase. The mode of arrangement of basic mesophase will predetermine the final coke microstructure.