Title: Enabling US Domestic Supply and Manufacturing Chain for Advanced Carbon Products

Authors: Chetan Tambe, Greg Henthorn, David Berry

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.24.0226

Abstract: "The supply chain for coal tar pitch, which serves as a carbon materials feedstock for manufacturing numerous advanced carbon products (e.g., carbon anodes, graphite electrodes, battery anodes, carbon foams, carbon composites, carbon fibers) is endangered due to (a) reliance on a small fractional industrial by-product as feedstock; and (b) major dependence on foreign supply, raising geopolitical concerns for the United States and other Western nations. AmeriCarbon is addressing this supply chain issue by connecting the “missing link” between abundant domestic coal reserves and the domestic advanced carbon products market through its patented and proprietary Eco-Pitch™ process. Through chemical conversion, AmeriCarbon’s process makes available a high concentration of carbon present in the coal and, more importantly, dramatically reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to current supplies. As a breakthrough supply chain alternative, the Eco-Pitch™ process directly converts coal into carbon pitch as its primary product, providing dramatic advantages in process efficiency and economics. Importantly, the Eco-Pitch™ process enables a tailored approach to carbon pitch production, where different ranks of coals (e.g., bituminous, sub-bituminous, lignite) can be converted into different grades of carbon pitches, which is not possible with the current supply source. The ability to access different carbon molecule combinations present in a much broader array of coal inputs compared to current industrial supply enables AmeriCarbon’s tailored approach, allowing better integration with downstream manufacturing processes. For example, AmeriCarbon is developing customized carbon pitch products with specific material properties that are optimized for the production of battery-grade graphite for electric vehicle (EV) battery anodes. In fact, AmeriCarbon has developed multiple carbon pitch compositions for EV battery applications that serve multiple purposes such as impregnation, binding, and electrical conductivity, providing a superior material for developing a critical domestic supply chain. "

References: 1.Mochida, I., O. Okuma, and S.-H. Yoon, Chemicals from direct coal liquefaction. Chemical reviews, 2014. 114(3): p. 1637-1672. 2.Council, N.C., Coal in New Carbon Age. 2019. 3.Kölling, G., Products of coal (coke, tar, gas) and their analysis, in Analytical Chemistry in the Exploration, Mining and Processing of Materials. 1978, Elsevier. p. 1475-1482. 4.Department of Energy, Critical Materials and Critical Minerals. 2023 [accessed January 22, 2024]; Available from: https://www.energy.gov/cmm/what-are-critical-materials-and-critical-minerals. 5.Deapartment of Defense, DOD Enters Agreement to Expand Domestic Graphite Supply Chain. 2023 [accessed January 22, 2024]; Available from: https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3600429/dod-enters-agreement-to-expand-domestic-graphite-supply-chain/. 6.Strategies, D., Estimated Greenhouse Gas Emissions for AmeriCarbon’s Coal Tar Pitch Versus Coal Tar Pitch Produced in China. 2021.

Conference: SAMPE 2024

Publication Date: 2024/05/20

SKU: TP24-0000000226

Pages: 13

Price: $26.00