BEHAVIOR OF A HIGH-TEMPERATURE HEAT-TREATED BITUMINOUS COAL AS A GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC SUBSTRATE

The behavior of a bituminous coal, heat treated at 2750 degree C, has been studied as a gas chromatographic substrate. The gas chromatographic behavior of model compounds on it depicts a characteristic feature of graphitized carbon surface. X-ray data confirm this. The heat treated coal was found to be a nonspecific adsorbent and retained compounds by universal dispersion forces. It had an excellent selectivity towards structural isomers and geometric stereoisomers. It had an analytical potentiality towards hydrocarbons and was found suitable in trace analyses also. The heat treated coal showed a favorable column permeability, which lies between those of Carbopack B and Porapak Q. As a gas chromatographic substrate, high temperature heat treated bituminous coal can be substituted for graphitized thermal carbon blacks and Carbopack.