Iranian Scientists Use Oil Waste to Produce Needle Coke

‘Developing needle coke technology from asphaltene and oil waste to manufacture graphite nanostructure electrodes’ is the title of a project being implemented under the leadership of Babak Mokhtari and his colleagues at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. This project is aimed at developing a local technology for producing high-quality needle coke from domestic oil resources.

Iran’s oil resources, including asphaltene and heavy refinery waste, can be a valuable alternative to imported feedstock in needle coke production; however, the complexity of the compositions of these materials and their changes in nature in thermal processes make their direct use difficult. Accordingly, the research team of this project is trying to pave the way to achieve needle coke with desirable physical and structural properties by optimizing the processing conditions, purification and modification of the chemical structure of asphaltene and petroleum wastes.

The importance of this project is not limited to the technological aspect, but also plays a key role in achieving the country's industrial self-sufficiency from an economic and strategic perspective. Domestic production of needle coke can save millions of dollars in foreign exchange annually and minimize the dependence of the steel and aluminum industries on imports. In addition, using petroleum wastes as the main feedstock, while reducing production costs, helps to optimally manage resources and reduce the environmental impacts of hydrocarbon wastes.

From a nanotechnology perspective, the focus of this project is on the development of nanostructured graphite electrodes, which have superior electrical and thermal conductivity due to the high order of graphene layers and exhibit greater structural stability at high temperatures. Using these electrodes in metal melting and refining processes increases energy efficiency, reduces material consumption, and improves the final quality of the produced steel and aluminum.

Needle coke is a high-performance carbon material with a metallic luster and silver-gray color. Its surface texture is fibrous or needle-like, with a slippery feel.

It contains small, oval-shaped pores inside. Needle coke consists of large molecular polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with flat aromatic layers.

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