Laser micropyrolysis of coal macerals. Annual report Nov 82-Oct 83

Technical Report · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6904793

Vastola, F J; Bogdan, M

The mass spectra of the pyrolysis products of coal macerals have been obtained by heating the macerals, in monolithic coal sections with focused laser radiation. The technique has been used for analysis of the vitrain maceral of 27 coals. The pyrolysis mass spectra indicated the presence of alkyl- and hydroxy-substituted benzenes and napthalenes. Higher molecular weight compounds (beginning with substituted anthracenes) were not detected. All of the pyrolysis products can be accounted for by breaking the weakest bonds in a structure and, if sufficient hydrogen was available, abstraction of hydrogen. This model suggests that vitrinite is predominantly composed of many alkyl- and hydroxy-substituted benzenes and naphthalenes linked by aliphatic bridges. The chemical information in the laser pyrolysis mass spectra was examined for possible correlations to rank, vitrinite reflectance, regional variations and other physical parameters. The strongest correlation of the mass spectra regardless of coal region was with the free swelling index of the coals. Coals which swell have an abundance of alkylaromatics as pyrolysis products; those which do not swell were void of alkylaromatics. The formation of alkyl-aromatics was attributed to the pyrolysis of aliphatic bridges between aromatic nuclei. An inverse relationship was also detected between the pyrolysis product 2-propenal (acrolein) and the free swelling index of the coal.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6904793
• Report Number(s): PB-84-181981
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102* -- Chemical & Spectral Procedures
ACROLEIN
ALDEHYDES
AROMATICS
BENZENE
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COAL GASIFICATION
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASIFICATION
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LASERS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MATERIALS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
NAPHTHALENE
NAPHTHOLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
POLYMERS
PYROLYSIS
SPECTROSCOPY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES