Preparation and performance of high-temperature coal tar toughened phenolic foams

High-temperature coal tar foaming phenolic resins and phenolic foams were prepared by partially displacing petroleum-based phenol. High-temperature coal tar and the phenolic foams were analyzed with gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer and infrared spectroscopy. Morphology and performance of the phenolic foams including compression strength, slag rate, thermal stability, flame resistance, and thermal insulation were characterized with optical microscope, thermogravimeter, limited oxygen index instrument, and thermal conductometer. The results show that compression strength of the phenolic foams slightly decreases and slag rate reduces, which indicates the enhancement of toughness. Moreover, the phenolic foams possess good thermal stability, flame resistance, and thermal insulation. When the substitution rate is 10%−15%, it has the maximum limited oxygen index of 36.1% and minimum thermal conductivity of 0.034 W/(m·K). The aforementioned results suggest that high-temperature coal tar can be used to partially substitute phenol to prepare phenolic foams with good performance, which provides a new route for high value-added utilization of high temperature coal tar.