The oxidation reaction mechanism and its kinetics for a carbonaceous precursor prepared from ethylene tar for use as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries

• The oxidation of ethylene tar proceeds via a four-stage mechanism, with side-chain oxidation to alcohols/aldehydes followed by polymerization/condensation of aromatic rings. • Kinetic analysis identified a fourth-order reaction model for the first three stages (activation energies 47.33, 18.69, and 9.00 kJ·mol−1) and a three-dimensional diffusion model for the fourth stage (88.37 kJ·mol−1). • A high-softening-point pitch derived from oxidized ethylene tar, when used as a graphite anode coating, significantly improved capacity retention from 51.54% to 79.07% after 300 cycles. • The study provides a mechanistic and kinetic foundation for optimizing air oxidation of ethylene tar to produce high-performance carbonaceous anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.