The development of laser micropyrolysis of coal macerals

Conference · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Gas Fuel Chem., Prepr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5652142

Vastola, F J; McGahan, L J

Since the development of the laser several workers have used its unique characteristics to study the pyrolysis of coal. The use of a focused laser beam to pyrolyze organic materials offers three advantages. The high degree of localization of surface heating allows the selective pyrolysis of micro components in a heterogeneous material such as the macerals in coal. The species resulting from laser heating are emitted from the heated solid surface with a minimum of interaction with the solid or other pyrolysis products thus increasing the probability of detecting primary structural fragments of the solid rather than products formed as a result of secondary reactions. Pyrolysis conditions can be set where selective bond breakage occurs, such as the rupture of alkyl bridges in coal. The coupling of laser micropyrolysis with mass spectrometric detection of the emitted species offers a method of structural analysis of nonvolatile organic solids.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA
• OSTI ID: 5652142
• Report Number(s): CONF-860425-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Gas Fuel Chem., Prepr.; (United States) Journal Volume: 31:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010406* -- Coal & Coal Products-- Pyrolysis & Cracking-- (-1987)
010600 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Properties & Composition
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102 -- Chemical & Spectral Procedures
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL BONDS
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLEAVAGE
COAL
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLASH HEATING
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEATING
LASER-RADIATION HEATING
MACERALS
MASS SPECTRA
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MATERIALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
PLASMA HEATING
PYROLYSIS
PYROLYSIS PRODUCTS
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
YIELDS