The paper presents the results of a comprehensive study of transformation of asphalt-resin-paraffin deposits (ARPD) into carbon materials (CM) using an electric arc plasma reactor. The experiments were conducted at different treatment modes – current intensity (75–125 A) and arc discharge initiation time (5–30 s) at atmospheric pressure. Methods of X-ray diffractometry, IR spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis, laser diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy were used in the study of the initial sample of ARPD and its products. It is established that optimal conditions of plasma processing (100–125 A, 25–30 s) provide almost complete destruction of organic matrix of ARPD with formation of graphite-like carbon structure characterized by a high degree of order and heat resistance. The presented results confirm the technological possibility of electric arc plasma processing of ARPD at atmospheric pressure as a method of simultaneous utilization of oil wastes and obtaining promising carbon materials.
V.V. Egorova (Wed,) studied this question.