Physicochemical characterization of bituminous carbons from the Colombian Caribbean region

Abstract

In the present studies characterization of mineral carbons, especially bituminous coal from the La Loma Cesar and the Cerrejón, will be carried out using FTIR and TGA-DCS techniques, knowing in advance that this is a relatively hard coal containing bitumen, between lignite and coal. Anthracite in the ligno-coal series. It is usually black, sometimes dark brown, often presenting a well-defined band of shiny, matte material. The bituminous coal veins are identified stratigraphically by the distinctive sequence of bright and dark bands; the results obtained from the characterization conclude that the coals of the Caribbean, Colombian region, are bituminous, thermal, with high volatile content and low ash content. The FTIR analysis shows that Cerrejon coal has a large amount of water and phenolic groups that in the Loma Cesar coal; while the latter shows the greater presence of inorganic material type Si-O, Si-O-Al, Fe-O and Zn-O according to infrared spectroscopy analysis. The analysis of TGA-DSC showed that the temperature, rate, and energy in both carbons showed differences in terms of evaporation, volatilization, and combustion that can define the structure of each one.