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 in three stages, with the reaction mechanism involving initial side-chain oxidation to alcohols/aldehydes and subsequent polymerization/condensation of aromatic compounds via peroxy-radicals. • Kinetic analysis using the Coats-Redfern method 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 (activation energy 88.37 kJ·mol−1). • A high softening point pitch produced from oxidized ethylene tar was applied as a coating on graphite anodes, significantly improving capacity retention after 300 cycles from 51.54% to 79.07%. • The study provides a detailed understanding of the oxidation kinetics and mechanism, enabling the optimization of ethylene tar as a carbonaceous precursor for high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes.