Using stimulus to convert coal to mesophase pitch and carbon fibers

1. A method for forming mesophase pitch, comprising:

continuously providing coal tar to a reactor;

applying a stimulus to an amount of the coal tar, the stimulus selected from the group consisting of at least one of:

an electromagnetic field (“EMF”), wherein the EMF has a wavelength of from about 1 mm to about 1 m; or

a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field strength is varied; and

continuously forming mesophase pitch from the coal tar.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the amount of coal tar by at least one of:

reducing a particle size of an amount of coal to form coal powder;

sieving the coal powder;

pyrolyzing the amount of coal and extracting the amount of coal tar from the pyrolyzed coal; or

distilling the amount of coal tar to remove one or more contaminants therefrom.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the EMF comprises a pulsed EMF.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the EMF comprises:

a first EMF having a first property; and

a second having a second property that is different from the first property.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the stimulus to the amount of coal tar heats the amount of coal tar to a temperature of from about 100° C. to about 300° C.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

evaluating a characteristic of the amount of coal tar or the mesophase pitch; and

changing a parameter of the stimulus applied to the amount coal tar in response to evaluating the characteristic of the amount of coal tar or the mesophase pitch.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the mesophase pitch into graphene, fullerene, diamond, or carbon fibers.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising air blowing the mesophase pitch.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising subjecting the mesophase pitch to a thermal process.

10. A method for processing coal tar, comprising:

evaluating a characteristic of an amount of coal tar formed from an amount of coal;

selecting one or more parameters of a stimulus in response to evaluating the characteristic; and

applying a stimulus having the one or more parameters to the amount of coal tar to form mesophase pitch, the stimulus comprising one or more of an electromagnetic field (“EMF”) or a magnetic field.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the stimulus comprises the EMF; and

selecting one or more parameters of the stimulus, wherein selecting one or more parameters of the stimulus consists of selecting at least one of a wavelength, an intensity, or mode of the EMF.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the EMF has a wavelength of from about 1 mm to about 1 m.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the stimulus comprises the magnetic field; and

selecting one or more parameters of the stimulus, wherein selecting one or more parameters of the stimulus consists of selecting at least one of a magnetic field strength or mode of the magnetic field.

14. A method for forming mesophase pitch, comprising:

applying a stimulus to a first amount of coal tar to form a first amount of mesophase pitch, the stimulus comprising one or more of an electromagnetic field (“EMF”) or a magnetic field;

evaluating a characteristic of the first amount of mesophase pitch;

changing a parameter of the stimulus in response to evaluating the characteristic of the first amount of mesophase pitch; and

applying the stimulus exhibiting the changed parameters to a second amount of coal tar to form a second amount of mesophase pitch.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the stimulus comprises the EMF; and

the parameter of the stimulus, wherein the parameter of the stimulus consists of at least one of a wavelength, an intensity, or mode of the EMF.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the stimulus comprises a magnetic field; and

the parameter of the stimulus, wherein the parameter of the stimulus consists of at least one of a magnetic field strength or mode of the magnetic field.