Looking
for alternative materials to coal-tar pitch (CTP), as a
binder in anode manufacturing, in aluminum production is of great
interest. Such a material should be able to mitigate the cost and
health issues without decreasing the carbon anode quality. Biopitch
(BP) could be considered as a potential candidate. Previous studies
show that biomass-based pitch has generally a low coking value compared
to that of CTP, which might negatively affect its properties as a
binder in carbon anodes. To increase its coking value, biopitch was
modified by using additives. A solid bio-based material, namely, biochar,
was considered as an additive. The prepared biopitch samples, containing
different quantities of biochars, were analyzed for their softening
point (SP), QI content, coking value (CV), molecular weight distribution,
viscosity, surface tension, chemical groups, and surface composition,
as well as their wettability with coke particles. The differences
in texture and topography of different pitches, as well as the interface
between pitch and aggregate particles in sessile drop after wettability
test, were studied. The results revealed that increasing the quantities
of biochars in biopitch increases their coking value, QI content,
density, viscosity, and softening point. Furthermore, biochar addition
only shows a minor influence on surface tension and molecular weight
distribution of biopitch. An optimum amount (9.0 wt %) of biochar
addition in biopitch could therefore be beneficial in anode formulation
while using biopitch as a binder, compared to those of the reference
anodes. The properties of the laboratory anodes (green/baked density,
air/CO2 reactivity, compressive strength and electrical
resistivity, carbon structure of the carbonized pitch) were investigated.
Addition of biochar into biopitch could reduce the overall consumption
of biopitch in the carbon anode formulation.