Reduction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) by using petroleum pitch as binder material: A comparison of anode properties and anode behavior of petroleum pitch and coal tar pitch anodes

Petroleum pitch as binder material for anodes has the great advantage, that the content of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) compared to coal tar pitch is negligible. In applying the correct content of pitch and through optimization of all process parameters during anode manufacturing, full size anodes with coal tar pitch and petroleum pitch have been prepared in an anode plant. While baked anode properties for coal tar and petroleum pitch anodes are very similar, the PAH content can be reduced by 98 %. In this paper the behavior of representative lots of coal tar and petroleum pitch anodes in 100 kA electrolysis cells and the properties of the resulting anode butts are described.