Organic sulfur in coal can pollute the atmosphere due
to the emission
of SO
x
gas during coal combustion and
utilization. Although the relative distributions of the different
organosulfur functional groups change with progressive coalification
(maturity), how these groups are incorporated in the macromolecule
structures of coals and the role they play in the coalification process
remain ambiguous. The purpose of this study, then, is to elucidate
these relationships by using thermodynamic simulation with a reactive
force field program, calculation of the C–S bond dissociation
energies of four types of organosulfur functional groups, X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of seven coal samples, and published data
to determine the changes in the types and proportions of organosulfur
functional groups in three coalification stages (0–1, 1–2,
and >2% Ro). The results show that the bond stabilities follow
the
order Cal–S < S–S < Car–S.
Disulfides and thioethers occur in lower contributions in the coalification
stage of 0–2% Ro, while mercaptans present in a relatively
higher proportion. The contribution of sulfone increases and exceeds
a half in organosulfur at 1–2% Ro; the major role of sulfur
turns from edge bond (0–1% Ro) to bridge bond (1–2%
Ro) gradually. Thiophene decreases in the 0–1% Ro coalification
stage and increases in relatively high proportions in the 1–2%
Ro coalification stage. When the coalification stage is above 2% Ro,
the contributions of sulfides, sulfone, and mercaptan decrease, while
that of thiophene increases, and sulfur gradually acts as a thiophenic
ring bond. These results demonstrate that the role of organosulfur
in the macromolecular skeleton of coal changes with progressive coalification.