Negative electrode material | low sulfur petroleum coke

Needle coke is a kind of petroleum coke. Needle coke is a high-quality material for manufacturing high-power and ultra-high-power electrodes. Graphite electrodes made of needle coke have strong thermal shock resistance, high mechanical strength, and good oxidation performance. It has the advantages of low electrode consumption and large allowable current density. The artificial graphite negative electrode is made by calcining petroleum coke, needle coke, pitch, etc. at a certain temperature, and then crushing, grading, and high-temperature graphitization. The artificial graphite anode material with high energy density uses needle coke as raw material, the low-end one uses petroleum coke as raw material, and pitch as binder.

The construction of low sulfur petroleum coke

Coke raw materials for artificial graphite can be divided into oil-based coke and coal-based coke. At present, the raw material of artificial graphite coke is low-sulfur petroleum coke. The production of artificial graphite anode has stricter quality requirements for petroleum coke and needle coke than other carbon industries.
Petroleum coke is a black solid coke produced by cracking and coking the vacuum residue of petroleum at 500-550°C through a coking unit. It is generally considered to be an amorphous carbon body, or a highly aromatized polymer carbide containing acicular or granular carbon bodies with tiny graphite crystals. According to the sulfur content, it can be divided into low-sulfur petroleum coke, medium-sulfur petroleum coke and high-sulfur petroleum coke.

The application for low sulfur petroleum coke

Needle coke is a porous solid with silver-gray appearance and metallic luster. It is a high-quality variety of carbon materials. Its structure has obvious flowing texture and is slightly oval. The particles have a large aspect ratio and are like fibers. Or needle-like texture, feels smooth to the touch. Needle coke has the characteristics of high carbon, low sulfur, low nitrogen, and low ash. It has outstanding electrochemical and mechanical properties after graphitization. It is an anisotropic high-end carbon material that is easy to graphitize.
Needle coke can be divided into oil-based needle coke and coal-based needle coke. Needle coke produced with petroleum residue as raw material is oil-based needle coke; needle coke produced with coal tar pitch and its fractions as raw material is coal-based needle coke.

Needle coke is mainly used in the manufacture of lithium battery anode materials and ultra-high power graphite electrodes. In recent years, with the increase in production capacity of anode materials in my country, the consumption of needle coke for the production of artificial graphite anodes has increased significantly. According to statistics, in 2022, the total consumption of needle coke (including inventory consumption) in my country will be 740,000 tons, of which the consumption of anode materials will be 340,000 tons, and the consumption of graphite electrodes will be 400,000 tons. up to 45%. With the vigorous development of the anode material market, anode coke has gradually become the mainstream of the market. The Franli plant is committed to the research of low-sulfur petroleum coke, exerting its excellent performance, and developing vigorously in the environment of this large market.