Provided are a method for manufacturing a high yield and high performance mesophase pitch and a high yield and high performance mesophase pitch manufactured therefrom by hydrogenating, mesophase formation, thin film evaporation, solvent-extracting, filtering and then drying to obtain only mesogen components in flow-domained mesophase pitch and then mixing the mesogen components with an isotropic pitch as a solvent component. Further, the high yield mesophase pitch of the present disclosure exhibits high spinnability while maintaining whole anisotropy and exhibits a much higher production yield than existing mesophase pitches.

A method of forming high molecular weight (“HMW”) coal tar can include combining supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO.sub.2) and an amount of coal tar, and fractionating the amount of coal tar to form the HMW coal tar. The method can further include forming the amount of coal tar from coal. Forming the amount of coal tar from coal can include extracting the coal tar from an amount of coal using sCO.sub.2.

A method of forming high molecular weight (“HMW”) coal tar can include combining supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO.sub.2) and an amount of coal tar, and fractionating the amount of coal tar to form the HMW coal tar. The method can further include forming the amount of coal tar from coal. Forming the amount of coal tar from coal can include extracting the coal tar from an amount of coal using sCO.sub.2.

Systems and methods of production for consistently sized and shaped optically anisotropic mesophase pitch from vacuum residue, one method including supplying processed vacuum residue to an extruder; heating the processed vacuum residue throughout a horizontal profile of the extruder from an inlet to an outlet of the extruder; venting hydrocarbon off-gases from the extruder along the horizontal profile of the extruder from the inlet to the outlet of the extruder; and physically shaping the consistently sized and shaped mesophase pitch at the outlet of the extruder for production of carbon fibers.

Examples of a flexible pyrolysis system are provided that include at least one reaction chamber capable of pyrolyzing a combination of coal in a supercritical carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) atmosphere. The system includes a recuperating and condensing circuit that removes dissolved pyrolysis products from the supercritical CO.sub.2 atmosphere and then recovers CO.sub.2 for reuse in the reaction chamber. The recuperating and condensing circuit includes multiple stages of recuperators and collectors that can be independently controlled in order to selectively fractionate the pyrolysis products. In addition, the pyrolysis reaction may be controlled to alter the pyrolysis products generated.

Pitch compositions suitable for spinning may comprise: a pitch having a softening point (SP) below 400 C. and is capable of achieving a radial Hencky strain prior to break of about 0.7 to about 10, at spinning temperature (T.sub.s) ranging from about SP30 C. to about SP+80 C. Methods for producing a carbon fiber from a pitch composition at a temperature within a spinning temperature (T.sub.s) range may comprise determining a temperature range wherein the maximum radial Hencky strain (.sub.R) lies above a minimum process radial Hencky strain, and wherein the minimum process radial Hencky strain is within a range of about 0.7 to about 10. The spinning temperature (T.sub.s) range may be determined by measuring a maximum radial Hencky strain (.sub.R) prior to break at a series of different temperatures and strain rates. Carbon fiber composites may comprise of the said carbon fiber.

Examples of a flexible pyrolysis system are provided that include at least one reaction chamber capable of pyrolyzing a combination of coal in a supercritical carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) atmosphere. The system includes a recuperating and condensing circuit that removes dissolved pyrolysis products from the supercritical CO.sub.2 atmosphere and then recovers CO.sub.2 for reuse in the reaction chamber. The recuperating and condensing circuit includes multiple stages of recuperators and collectors that can be independently controlled in order to selectively fractionate the pyrolysis products. In addition, the pyrolysis reaction may be controlled to alter the pyrolysis products generated.

A method of forming high molecular weight (HMW) coal tar can include combining supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO.sub.2) and an amount of coal tar, and fractionating the amount of coal tar to form the HMW coal tar. The method can further include forming the amount of coal tar from coal. Forming the amount of coal tar from coal can include extracting the coal tar from an amount of coal using sCO.sub.2.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing carbon fiber by using microwaves, and more particularly, to an apparatus for manufacturing carbon fiber by using microwaves, which directly or indirectly heats and carbonizes a carbon fiber precursor by using microwaves, so that energy efficiency is improved because an entire carbonization furnace is not heated, and a property of the precursor is adjusted by a simpler method by using microwaves.

Systems and methods of production for consistently sized and shaped optically anisotropic mesophase pitch from vacuum residue, one method including supplying processed vacuum residue to an extruder; heating the processed vacuum residue throughout a horizontal profile of the extruder from an inlet to an outlet of the extruder; venting hydrocarbon off-gases from the extruder along the horizontal profile of the extruder from the inlet to the outlet of the extruder; and physically shaping the consistently sized and shaped mesophase pitch at the outlet of the extruder for production of carbon fibers.