Carbon fibers from aromatic hydrocarbons

Carbon fibers synthesized from mesophase pitch fractions derived from low-cost hydrocarbons such as petroleum residuum, although cheaper than polyacrylonitrile-derived fibers, suffer from low mechanical strength. In the past few years, however, significant advances have been made in understanding the mechanism of formation of mesophase pitch, which may lead to improved performance for carbon fibers and other specialty carbons. This article introduces such advances, and suggests further areas for improvement.