Synthetic asphaltene for green carbon material

From Asphaltenes and Coals to Carbons: Interpreting the Transition from X-ray Scattering to Crystalline Diffraction

“…Model compounds that gave columnar stacking of aromatics did not give sharp signals in this range (Figure ), indicating that the separation of the stacked aromatics was too variable for a strong Bragg crystalline reflection. However, a mixture of synthetic aromatics with less alkyl substitution gave an XRD pattern similar to asphaltenes, possibly exhibiting a band as a result of disordered aromatic stacking . Detailed studies by Oberlin and co-workers − using TEM methods found very low levels of alignment of aromatics in petroleum asphaltenes and coals, limited to 2–3 molecules.…”

“…Full width at half maximum for the band from 2θ of 10° to 30° (fwhm 10–30 ) for pure compounds, ,,, polymers, asphaltenes, ,,, pitches, ,, coals, , cokes, − and carbon materials …”

“…A range of other model compounds for asphaltenes have been synthesized, but XRD data are lacking for most. The most interesting exception was a multicomponent mixture reported by Morimoto et al 32 This mixture, termed "synthesized asphaltene" or SA, was a mixture of dialkyl aromatics with a large 17-aromatic ring core, along with 8-ring alkyl-substituted aromatic groups joined by a aryl−aryl bond. The synthesis allowed for the formation of numerous isomers of the two main structures, with variability in the fusion of rings to form the 17ring aromatics and in the location of substitution of the dodecyl alkyl chains.…”

“…However, a mixture of synthetic aromatics with less alkyl substitution gave an XRD pattern similar to asphaltenes, possibly exhibiting a band as a result of disordered aromatic stacking. 32 Detailed studies by Oberlin and co-workers 26−28 using TEM methods found very low levels of alignment of aromatics in petroleum asphaltenes and coals, limited to 2−3 molecules. Such molecular pairs and triplets could contribute a band to the XRD pattern superimposed on the broader amorphous signal.…”

“…XRD patterns from C 12 - and C 6 - peri -hexabenzocorones, , a mixture of dodecyl-substituted aromatic groups, termed “synthesized asphaltenes, and a typical asphaltene sample …”