Synthesis and characterization of condensed poly-nuclear aromatic resin using heavy distillate from ethylene tar

Heat-resistant condensed poly-nuclear aromatic resin (COPNAR) was prepared using heavy distillate (>250 °C, named DO) from distilled ethylene tar (ET). The basic properties of ET, DO and COPNAR were investigated by FT-IR, 1H NMR, TGA and elemental analysis. The structural parameters of DO and ET were obtained by the improved Brown–Ladner method and the formation mechanism of the COPNAR from DO was deduced. Results show that a superior heat-resistant COPNAR can be obtained from DO. The distillation of ET increases the heat resistance of the COPNAR, and the reaction mechanism is confirmed to be an acid-catalyzed positive ion-type polymerization. [New Carbon Materials 2012, 27(6): 469–475]