IN-SITU DIFFUSE REFLECTION FT-IR SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF PYROLYSIS OF LIGNITE

Pyrolysis of lignite coal has been investigated in-situ by diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy. The diffuse reflectance spectrum of lignite coal is concluded to be made of Gaussian bands. The increase of aromaticity factor with temperature could be clearly evidenced from the C-H stretching region. Although quantitative analysis of the structural modification can not be performed at the moment, qualitative information can be provided at least from the peak intensity variations. This work demonstrates that the temperature and atmospheric effects on the physicochemical properties of powdered materials can be readily studied by interfacing the reflectance optics with a controlled environment reaction chamber.