Title: A preliminary report on the formation of graphite from sub-bituminous coal during oxidation in H2O2/HCOOH: a new forecast

Authors: Binoy K. Saikia; Tonkeswar Das; Bimala P. Baruah

Addresses: Coal Chemistry Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat-785006, India ' Coal Chemistry Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat-785006, India ' Coal Chemistry Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat-785006, India

Abstract: In this communication, a report on the formation of graphite during oxidation of a sub-bituminous coal sample by H2O2 and HCOOH in reflux condition at atmospheric pressure is given. The oxidised coal sample was characterised by Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis-differential thermal analysis-differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DTA-DSC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, which revealed the oxidised coal (structurally modified coal) to be in graphitic form. This present study forecasts the possibility of chemical conversion of coal to graphite. It may also replace the expensive graphitisation process of carbon sources using very high temperatures. [Received: April 29, 2015; Accepted: June 18, 2015]

Keywords: Nagaland coal; high sulphur coal; graphite; coal oxidation; coal characterisation; coal conversion; sub-bituminous coal; H2O2; hydrogen peroxide; HCOOH; formic acid; chemical conversion.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2016.079261

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2016 Vol.13 No.3, pp.292 - 304

Received: 05 May 2015
Accepted: 18 Jun 2015

Published online: 26 Sep 2016 *

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