# US 12,760,447 B2 · Methods for enhancing the formation of mesophase in pitch compositions derived from hydrocarbon feedstocks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,760,447 B2 - Document ID: US12760447B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/269,882 - Filed: 2021-11-10 - Published: 2024-02-29 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-13 - Assignees: Exxon Mobil Technology and Engineering Company - Applicants: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company - Inventors: Manesh Gopinadhan; Stuart E. Smith; Nicole M. Callen; Clarence E. Chase; Kazem V. Edmond; Srinivasan Rajagopalan; Eric B. Sirota; Daniel J. Ryan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760447B2 ## CPC - D01F 9/145: from pitch or distillation residues - C10C 3/023: {with inorganic compounds} - D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS - C10C: WORKING-UP PITCH, ASPHALT, BITUMEN, TAR; PYROLIGNEOUS ACID (compositions of bituminous materials C08L95/00; carbon filaments by decomposition of organic filaments D01F9/14) ## Abstract Nucleation enhancement and/or growth rate improvement of mesophase in pitch compositions derived from hydrocarbon feedstocks can be achieved by: reacting in a reaction zone a blend comprising an isotropic feed and a seeding agent, to produce a reacted pitch having a mesophase content of about 10 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the reacted pitch, and a softening point (Tsp) below 400° C.; wherein the seeding agent is about 50 wt % or less, based on the total weight of the blend; wherein the seeding agent has a mesophase content of about 0.01 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the seeding agent. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process comprising: mixing an isotropic feed and a seeding agent to make a blend and reacting in a reaction zone the blend comprising the isotropic feed and the seeding agent, to produce a reacted pitch having a mesophase content of about 10 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the reacted pitch, and a softening point (Tsp) below 400° C.; wherein the seeding agent is about 50 wt % or less, based on the total weight of the blend; wherein the seeding agent is a mesophase pitch having a mesophase content of about 60 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the seeding agent; and separating the reacted pitch in a separation zone to produce: a first effluent comprising a mixture of gaseous products and liquid products; and a second effluent comprising a separated pitch having a mesophase content of about 10 vol % or greater, based on the total volume of the separated pitch, and a softening point Tsp below 400° C. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the seeding agent is a mesophase pitch produced from at least a portion of an isotropic pitch that is the same or different than the isotropic feed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the blend has a volume ratio isotropic feed/seeding agent of about 50:50 to about 99.9:0.1. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the blend has a seeding agent content of about 0.5 wt % to about 40 wt %, based on the total weight of the blend. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein reacting the blend is carried out under one or more of: a partial pressure of hydrogen of about 10 MPa or less, a temperature in the range of 200° C. to 600° C., a pressure in the range of 0.0005 MPa to 25 MPa, a residence time of 0.25 minutes to 24 hours, or a WHSV in the range of 0.1 hr-1 to 4 hr-1. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein reacting the blend is selected from the group consisting of: pyrolyzing, slurry hydrocracking, acid-catalyzed reaction, and any combination thereof, wherein acid-catalyzed reaction comprise: hydrotreating and/or acid-catalyzed oligomerization; and wherein reacting the blend is carried out in the presence of an acid catalyst. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein reacting the blend is performed in presence of a hydrogen-donor solvent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the reacted pitch has a carbon residue content of from about 20 wt % to about 99 wt %, based on the total weight of the reacted pitch and/or wherein the reacted pitch has a hydrogen content of from about 3 wt % to about 12 wt %, a sulfur content of from 0 wt % to about 10 wt %, based on the total weight of the reacted pitch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the reacted pitch has a T10 in the range of 200° C. to 650° C. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the separated pitch has a mesophase content of about 10 vol % to about 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the separated pitch. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the separated pitch has softening point (Tsp) of about 100° C. to about 400° C. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the separated pitch has a carbon residue content of from 20 wt % to 99 wt %, based on the total weight of the separated pitch and/or wherein the separated pitch has a hydrogen content of from about 3 wt % to about 12 wt %, a sulfur content of from 0 wt % to about 10 wt %, based on the total weight of the separated pitch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, further comprising: recycling at least a portion of the second effluent back to the reaction zone, wherein the second effluent is used as the seeding agent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the separated pitch is combined with a reinforcing agent for the production of a composite. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the separated pitch is used as a matrix material in the production of a composite. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the separated pitch is spun at a spinning temperature greater than 200° C. ### Claim 17 A process comprising: mixing an isotropic feed and a seeding agent to make a blend and reacting in a reaction zone, in a batch, semi-batch or continuous mode, the blend comprising the isotropic feed and the seeding agent, to produce a reacted pitch having a mesophase content of about 10 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the reacted pitch, and a softening point Tsp below 400° C.; wherein the seeding agent is about 50 wt % or less, based on the total weight of the blend; wherein the seeding agent is a mesophase pitch having a mesophase content of about 60 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the seeding agent; separating the reacted pitch in a separation zone to produce: a first effluent comprising a mixture of gaseous products and liquid products; and a second effluent comprising a separated pitch having a mesophase content of about 10 vol % or greater, based on the total volume of the separated pitch, a softening point Tsp below 400° C., wherein the reacted pitch and/or the separated pitch are/is suitable for spinning into carbon fiber; and recycling at least a portion of the second effluent back to the reaction zone, wherein the separated pitch is used as the seeding agent.