Asphaltenes as Nano Objects Regulating Macrostructure of Solid High-Carbon Substances

Abstract

High-carbon substances and carbon itself are important structure-forming elements. Of special interest are substances obtained from petroleum feedstock by means of high-temperature treatment. Such substances could include bitumen, pitch, coke, fullerenes, carbon nanotubes and some composition materials. The present article provides a literature review, devoted to structuring in complex multi-component systems, which demonstrated to obtain quasi-crystalline substances in macroscale. In petroleum disperse systems the regulating factor leading to the formation of hierarchy structures is presence in the medium of asphaltenes exerting paramagnetic properties. It was experimentally showed that change of the equivalence ratio of such components as core, salvation shell, and dispersion medium leads to intentional obtainment of various configurations of quasi-crystalline systems. Understanding of macrostructures formation mechanisms under condition of change of medium properties at nanolevel allows constructing new carbon-based constructional materials.