Observation of carbonaceous mesophase behaviors in phenolated sawdust using polarized light microscopy

The phenolated sawdust had been proved to be a new kind of carbon precursor with excellent self-sintering ability. As a part of research on characterizing the structure and composition of the new kind of carbon precursor, the self-made sinterable phenolated sawdust was observed with polarized light optical microscope in this paper. It was found that the derivative contained some mesocarbon microbead-like optical anisotropic phase which might flow under pressure. The phenolated sawdust was also observed with hot-stage polarized light optical microscope. The results showed that anisotropic phase could be further formed from the phenolated sawdust and then transformed into carbon during the heat treatment. According to the observed results, it was concluded that the self-sinterable phenolated sawdust contained carbonaceous mesophase and component being transformable into carbonaceous mesophase. To some extent, the phenolated sawdust could be described as a new kind of carbonaceous mesophase.