Effect of hydrothermal treatment on the extraction of coal in the CS2/NMP mixed solvent

The extraction of four Chinese different rank bituminous coals with the carbon disulfide/N-2-pyrrolidinone (CS2/NMP) mixed solvent (1:1 by volume) was carried out in room temperature. It was found that one of middle bituminous raw coal of the four coals gave more than 74% (daf) extraction yield, suggesting an associative structural model for the coal. The four coals were hydrothermal treated under different conditions, and it was found that the extraction yields of the treated coals obviously increased. This will have great significance for coal liquefaction. FTIR measurements show the removal of minerals after the hydrothermal treatment of coals suggesting the dissociation of the coal aggregation structure due to ionic interactions and/or hydrogen bonds broken because of the removal of oxygen and hydroxyl oxygen proceeded through ionic pathways, resulting in the extraction yields of the treated coals increase. However, breaking of π-cation interactions by hydrothermal treatment may be one of possible mechanisms for the enhancement of extraction yield of higher rank of treated coal. The mechanism of hydrothermal treatment of coal was discussed in the paper.