Carbon electrodes having stabilized binders derived from the entire organic fraction of bituminous coal

In the industrial manufacture of carbon electrodes from a coke aggregate and a binder to form a paste which is baked to about 1,200.degree. C in approximately 48 hours to form said electrodes, the improvement comprising the preparation of said binder from substantially all of the low-volatile organic materials in a bituminous coal by solvent refining said coal in the presence of hydrogen to form a pitch containing 16-30 percent of an aromatic liquid hydrocarbon creosote-oil type solvent and by thermally and oxidatively stabilizing said pitch by fluxing said pitch in air at 160.degree.-310.degree. C.

A carbon electrode for use in electrometallurgical manufacturing which consists essentially of a carbonaceous aggregate and a stabilized binder which is derived from the entire low-volatile organic fraction of a bituminous coal without thermal or catalytic cracking thereof, which undergoes no more than about a 5.degree. increase in the softening point thereof during storage at about 170.degree. C while exposed to air, and which is oxidatively and thermally stabilized so that it is suitable for mixing with said carbonaceous aggregate for making metallurgical-grade carbon electrodes, said stabilized binder being prepared by:

• A. admixing a solvent, selected from the group consisting of anthracene oil and cathode pitch having a softening point of about 60.degree. C, with 70-85% of a solvent refined coal to form a binder mixture;
• and
• B. selectively heat treating said binder mixture without molecular rearrangement thereof to form said stabilized binder.