Coal tar pitch with reduced PAHs and thermosets based on it

Coal Tar Pitch (CTP), an industrial waste from manufacturing of coke has been a valuable resource for various applications. Presence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in CTP has been a cause of concern for regulators. CTP is subjected to high temperature treatment during its various applications. This is the cause of high Benzo-(a)-Pyrene{B(a)P} content in emissions. Thus, use of high B(a)P CTP is a serious health hazard and thus, B(a)P in CTP content must be kept within acceptable limits. The present study pertains to: a) Process development and optimization for reducing the B(a)P in CTP to render it non-toxic b) Development and validation of HPLC Method for estimation of B(a)P content in CTP and c) Development of thermoset composites using CTP of reduced B(a)P and PF-resin for speciality applications. This study not only helps to bring down content of B(a)P in CTP but it also presents the opportunity for the value addition to CTP. This would serve as a reference document for: a) manufacturer and suppliers (of insulating materials) b) users c) the regulatory agencies d) policy makers e) analytical chemists and f) the material scientists working on Polymer Composites