A preliminary report on the formation of graphite from sub-bituminous coal during oxidation in H<SUB align="right">2O<SUB align="right">2/HCOOH: a new forecast

Abstract

Abstract:In this communication, a report on the formation of graphite during oxidation of a sub-bituminous coal sample by H 2 O 2 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.