Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• Petroleum asphalt is a low-cost, carbon-rich precursor for advanced carbon materials, offering high yield and abundant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. • Key preparation methods include template-assisted pyrolysis, molten salt treatment, activation, heteroatom doping, and pre-oxidation, each tailoring pore structure and surface chemistry. • Asphalt-derived carbons show promising performance in supercapacitors and alkali metal-ion batteries, with specific capacitance and cycling stability enhanced by heteroatom doping. • Challenges such as complex composition and structural control are addressed by proposing feasible solutions for high-value utilization.
Abstract
Petroleum asphalt, an important by-product of the petrochemical industry, has diverse applications but often suffers from low industrial added value. Because of its low cost, high carbon content, and high polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content, appropriate modification can increase its value and expand its energy storage applications. Current research progress on the common preparation methods of petroleum asphalt-based carbon materials, including template-assisted pyrolysis, molten salt treatment, activation, heteroatom doping, and pre-oxidation is reviewed, and its use in supercapacitors and alkali metal ion batteries, is also elaborated. Feasible solutions for the current problems with petroleum asphalt are proposed, with the aim of providing insights into its high value-added utilization.
1. Introduction
The rapid depletion of petrochemical energy fosters the rational and efficient utilization of limited resources, prompting intensified research into renewable energy sources to meet the development needs of modern society[1–2]. Electrochemical energy storage devices exhibit promising capabilities to either replace or augment fossil-based energy, attracting extensive attention from all sectors of society[3–4]. With the robust development of the electrochemical energy storage industry, market demands for energy storage electrode materials are continually increasing[5]. Carbon materials have been widely recognized as promising electrode candidates because of their structure designability, multi-scale pore size distribution, high conductivity, and favorable surface properties[6–7]. Precursors for producing various carbon materials typically include low-cost biomass, polymers, asphalt, etc. Among these, asphalt has elevated carbon content and abundant resources, stands out as a viable precursor for producing various carbon electrode materials.
Petroleum asphalt, a product of crude oil processed by atmospheric or vacuum distillation, has higher yield and different structures compared to coal tar asphalt[8–9]. At room temperature, it usually appears as a black amorphous solid or semi-solid with high viscosity, and its molecular structure is mainly composed of 2 elements, C and H, as well as small amounts of N, O, S, V, Cr and Ni[10]. According to the petrochemical industry standard NB/SH/T 0509-2010 “Four component determination method for petroleum asphalt”, asphalt can be distinguished into saturated fraction (Sa), aromatic fraction (Ar), resin (Re), and asphaltene (As) using different solvents[11–12]. The content of these 4 components together determines the physicochemical properties of petroleum asphalt[13–14]. In recent years, China’s petroleum asphalt production enterprises have continuously expanded their production capacity, predominantly for traditional fields such as infrastructure materials and fuels[15–17]. In 2023, the cumulative production of petroleum asphalt in China exceeded 37 million tons, with market demand continuing to expand. However, the conventional techniques mentioned above have lower utilization value for petroleum asphalt, limiting its application potential.
The production of carbon materials utilizing petroleum asphalt has distinct advantages: Firstly, petroleum asphalt has low hydrogen-to-carbon ratio (with the carbon mass fraction exceeding 80%) and is rich in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which facilitates an enhanced yield of carbon materials obtained after carbonization[18–20]. Secondly, petroleum asphalt is not affected by seasonal disturbances, affordable and readily available, facilitating the large-scale preparation of energy storage carbon materials[21–24]. Nevertheless, its complex chemical composition hinders the structure of the final carbon products.
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DU Shao-xiong, KONG Ling-yu, LIU Lu, CAO Zi-yang, WU Xi, SUN Bo, LI Zheng-xuan, YANG Wang, LI Yong-feng (2025). A review of petroleum asphalt-based carbon materials in electrochemical energy storage. SinoTechIntel Verified Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1872-5805(NCM2024-39-06-03)
Research & Educational Purpose Only:The translations, structured abstracts, analytical annotations, and data reports provided by SinoTechIntel are intended exclusively for academic research, internal corporate R&D, and educational benchmarking. They do not constitute formal engineering, chemical safety, legal, or professional advice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main advantages of using petroleum asphalt as a precursor for carbon materials?
Petroleum asphalt offers low cost, high carbon content (over 80% by mass), and abundant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which lead to high carbon yields after carbonization. It is also readily available and not subject to seasonal variations, making it suitable for large-scale production of energy storage carbon materials.
What preparation methods are reviewed for petroleum asphalt-based carbon materials?
The review covers template-assisted pyrolysis, molten salt treatment, activation, heteroatom doping, and pre-oxidation. These methods are used to tailor the pore structure, surface chemistry, and electrochemical performance of the resulting carbon materials.
In which electrochemical energy storage applications are petroleum asphalt-based carbon materials used?
These carbon materials are primarily used in supercapacitors and alkali metal-ion batteries (such as lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and potassium-ion batteries). They serve as electrode materials, offering high specific capacitance and good cycling stability.
What are the current challenges in utilizing petroleum asphalt for carbon materials?
The main challenges include the complex chemical composition of petroleum asphalt, which makes it difficult to control the structure of the final carbon products. Additionally, conventional applications have low added value, and there is a need for feasible solutions to enhance its high-value utilization.
What feasible solutions are proposed for the problems with petroleum asphalt?
The review proposes feasible solutions such as optimizing preparation conditions, combining multiple modification methods, and developing novel strategies to control the microstructure and surface functionality of the derived carbons, thereby improving their electrochemical performance and enabling high-value applications.
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