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Chemical structural changes in the early stages of coalification

Conference · · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)
OSTI ID:6598635
; ; ;
The Brandon lignite in Vermont (20-30 M. years old) consists mostly of gelified coal but contains also much material to be described as woody material or coalified logs. Faces on lumps of woody material have been polished and examined with a hand lens. Various zones could be distinguished: thus one zone (IV) contained well preserved vessel cells, while another associated zone (III) did not. There was a darker zone (II) with no cells visible, and a dark rim (I) around the margin (oxidation.). Fourier Transform infrared spectra of the corresponding zones III and IV from two different specimens of woody material were almost identical with each other; zone II was quite similar in showing a large number of sharp, well-defined, bands quite closely resembling those in the spectrum of dicotyledon lignin. The authors conclude that (i) chemical differences in zones of woody material are considerably smaller than visible differences in degree of preservation of wood indicate, (ii) there are processes in the earliest stages of coalification that usually, but not invariably, destroy both cellular anatomy and lignin structure, (iii) the effect of these processes begins to be evident in the outer zones of coalified logs and is fully seen in the gelified matrix. Woody material from the Morwell lignite, Victoria, Australia gave spectra having some lignin character, but much less marked that in those of the Brandon samples.
Research Organization:
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA)
OSTI ID:
6598635
Report Number(s):
CONF-8510489-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 17
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010600 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Properties & Composition
011000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580400 -- Geochemistry-- (-1989)
BROWN COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMISTRY
COAL
COAL DEPOSITS
COALIFICATION
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION I
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
LIGNITE
MACERALS
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
RESOURCES
SPECTROSCOPY
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
USA
VERMONT