Evaluation of mechanical properties in microscopic textures of coke before/after solution loss reaction

In this study, the elastic modulus of coke microscopic textures is measured with a nano-indentation method to investigate the effect of solution loss reaction on the mechanical properties of coke matrices. In addition, elemental analysis by means of SEM-EDS is carried out to reveal the effect of solution loss reaction on degradation of coke elastic modulus. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The elastic moduli of active components and inerts decreased with an increase in conversion. (2) The nano-scale pore increased with an increase in conversion. (3) A decrease in elastic modulus under the condition that reaction rate is a rate controlling step is greater than that under the condition that either reaction rate or mass transfer is a rate controlling step in active components. (4) The results of SEM-EDS show that there are the catalytic mineral matters in fragmentary texture. (5) A decreasing in elastic modulus of inerts is greater than that of active components because ashes in inerts work as the catalysts of solution loss reaction.