Plastic-derived mesophasic carbon

A method for producing mesophasic carbon material, the method comprising:

• subjecting a carbon feedstock material to pyrolysis within a 2-stage pyrolysis reactor, the 2-stage pyrolysis reactor including a first pyrolysis stage and a second pyrolysis stage, wherein the carbon feedstock material comprises a waste plastic material;
• wherein the first pyrolysis stage subjects the carbon feedstock material to pyrolysis at a first temperature in a range of 500° C. to 700° C., and the second pyrolysis stage subjects material exiting from the first pyrolysis stage to secondary gas phase reactions, at a second temperature in a range of 800° C. to 1000° C., wherein a residence time of the carbon feedstock material in the second stage of the 2-stage pyrolysis reactor is no more than 10 seconds;
• and
• subjecting pyrolysis products from the 2-stage pyrolysis reactor to a sparging and thermal treatment stage, in which the pyrolysis products from the 2-stage pyrolysis reactor are converted from pyrolysis tar products to an anisotropic pitch product suitable for use in production of carbon fiber or bulk graphite for use in fabrication of graphite electrodes.

A system for producing anisotropic, mesophasic carbon material from waste plastic, the system comprising:

• a 2-stage pyrolysis reactor configured to subject a carbon feedstock material to pyrolysis, the 2-stage pyrolysis reactor including a first pyrolysis stage and a second pyrolysis stage, wherein the carbon feedstock material comprises a plastic waste material;
• wherein the first pyrolysis stage subjects the carbon feedstock material to pyrolysis gas phase reactions at a first temperature in a range of 500° C. to 700° C., and the second pyrolysis stage operates at a second temperature in a range of 800° C. to 1000° C., wherein a residence time of the carbon feedstock material in the 2-stage pyrolysis reactor, or in the second pyrolysis stage of the 2-stage pyrolysis reactor is no more than 10 seconds;
• and
• a sparging and thermal treatment stage, in which condensed pyrolysis products from the second pyrolysis stage are converted from pyrolysis tar products to an anisotropic pitch product suitable for use in production of carbon fiber or bulk graphite for use in fabrication of graphite electrodes.