REACTIONS OF OXYGEN CONTAINING STRUCTURES IN COAL PYROLYSIS

In coal pyrolysis O-containing structures such as ether bridges and phenolic groups play an important role. Their reactions were studied by non-isothermal pyrolysis of a high volatile bituminous coal and some model polymers with gas chromatographic detection of the gaseous pyrolysis products. The coal was separated into the maceral groups vitrinite, exinite and inertinite, which showed markedly different pyrolysis behaviour. The formation of CO, methane and benzene was measured versus temperature. By comparison with polyphenyleneoxide and phenol-formaldehyde resins, it was found that the main volatilization, during which most of the tar is evolved, is initiated by cleavage of alkyl-aryl-ethers. Rearrangements of the primarily formed radicals lead to the formation of CO and methane at higher temperatures.