Mesocarbon　microbeads　(MCMB)　were　prepared　by　pyrolysis　of　coal-tar　pitch　in　the　presence　of　rosin,　and　characteristics　of　the　pitch-rosin　mixtures　and　the　MCMB　were　studied.　Pyrolysis　behavior　of　the　pitch-rosin　mixtures　was　investigated　by　thermogravimetric　analysis　(TGA),　and　chemical　structures　of　the　pyrolysated　pitch-rosin　mixtures　were　studied　using　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FTIR)　technique.　Optical　textures　of　the　pyrolysated　pitch-rosin　mixtures　were　characterized　by　polarized-light　microscopy.　In　addition,　morphologies　and　microstructures　of　the　MCMB,　extracted　from　the　pyrolysated　pitch-rosin　mixtures,　were　studied　using　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM)　and　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　respectively.　Results　show　that　the　rosin　addition　contributes　to　a　notable　increase　of　MCMB　yield　as　well　as　a　decrease　in　the　aromaticity　index　of　the　pyrolysated　pitch-rosin　mixtures.　Moreover,　the　pyrolysis　conditions　have　great　effect　on　the　morphologies　and　yields　of　MCMB.　When　the　pitch-rosin　mixtures　are　pyrolysated　at　450　°C　for　1.5-2.5　h,　the　MCMB　yields　arrive　at　33.8-54.6　wt.%　of　the　pyrolysated　pitch-rosin　mixtures.　©　2011　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.