Coal-tar　pitch　was　modified　with　a　lignin/silica　hybrid　(LSH)　from　rice　husk,　and　carbonization　behavior　of　the　pitch-LSH　mixtures　and　optical　texture　of　resultant　semi-cokes　were　studied　in　this　paper.　The　carbonization　behavior　was　characterized　using　TGA,　FTIR,　SEM　and　EDS.　In　addition,　the　optical　texture　of　resultant　semi-cokes　was　characterized　by　polarized-light　microscopy.　Results　show　that　the　LSH　addition　has　great　effect　on　the　carbonization　behavior　of　the　pitch-LSH　mixtures　and　the　optical　texture　of　resultant　semi-cokes.　The　pitch-LSH　mixtures　have　better　thermal　stability　than　coal-tar　pitch,　as　indicated　by　that　the　initial　weight　loss　temperature　and　carbonization　yield　of　the　pitch-LSH　mixtures　increase　with　increasing　LSH　content.　There　are　more　condensed　polynuclear　structures　with　high　aromaticity　in　the　resultant　semi-cokes　with　increasing　pyrolysis　temperature.　However,　the　LSH　addition　deteriorates　the　optical　texture　of　resultant　semi-cokes　varying　from　coarse-grained　mosaics　to　fine-grained　mosaics.　Furthermore,　there　exist　a　great　many　silica　particles　with　size　of　less　than　3　μm　uniformly　distributed　in　the　pyrolysis　product　of　the　pitch-LSH　mixture.　©　2010　Elsevier　B.V.