To better explore coal macromolecular
models from the extraction
aspects, the behaviors of free radicals during the solvent extraction
of superfine pulverized coal were studied. The electron paramagnetic
resonance (EPR) method was employed to characterize the extracts and
extraction residues (ERs) from the pyridine (PY) and tetrahydrofuran
(THF) extraction processes. The EPR parameters of different paramagnetic
centers were analyzed through the peak deconvolution, and the detailed
extraction mechanisms were discussed. The result suggests that the
particle size and polarity of the reagent have the combined influences
on the free-radical characteristics during the extraction process.
Compared to the raw coals (rcs), the free-radical concentrations of
the ER show a similar level, while these are 1 order of magnitude
lower for the extracts (about 6 to 9% of rcs). In addition, PY with
higher polarity is prone to attack the non-covalent interactions like
hydrogen bonds, which can extract more abundant molecule components
connected by charge-transfer forces, resulting in 35.42% higher spin
concentrations compared to the THF extracts. On the other hand, THF
with an affinity with oxygen-containing groups can loosen the coal
structure, which extracts more stable oxygenated compounds. In addition,
THF can effectively target the π–π interactions,
and the paramagnetic centers on these aromatic clusters can be better
preserved due to the steric hindrance effect. The study sheds light
on better elucidation of coal macromolecular structures, which provides
support on better understanding coal pyrolysis and liquefaction behaviors.