Preparation of carbon microfibers from coal liquefaction residue

Carbon microfibers (CMFs) were synthesized directly from coal liquefaction residue (CLR) by arc-jet plasma method at atmospheric pressure, and were examined using scanning electron microscopy and EDX spectroscopy. It has been found that the as-synthesized CMFs are smooth in surface and quite uniform in diameter that is smaller than 1 mu m and centers at 700 nm. The possible mechanism involved in the formation process of CMFs is proposed and discussed in terms of the special chemical composition of CLR and the process parameters. This work may open a new way for direct and effective utilization of the CLR. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.