Mechanism of microstructural evolution in coke during the co-pyrolysis of coking coal with organic additivesOA

To deepen understanding of the evolution of coal char microstructural properties of coal char during the co-pyrolysis of coking coal with additives,this study incorporated two typical additives,coal tar pitch(CTP)and waste plastic(HDPE),into a blended coal sample and carried out pyrolysis experiments.The pyrolysis process and the microstructure of char were systematically characterized using various analytical techniques,including thermogravimetric analysis(TGA),X-ray diffraction(XRD)and Raman spectroscopy.Data correlation analysis was performed to reveal the mechanism of carbon structural ordering evolution within the critical temperature range(350−600℃)from colloidal layer formation to semi-coke conversion in coking coal,and to elucidate the regulatory effects of different additives on coal pyrolysis pathways.The results indicate that HDPE releases free radicals during high-temperature pyrolysis,accelerating the pyrolysis reaction and increase the yield of volatile components.Conversely,CTP facilitates pyrolysis at low temperatures through its light components,thereby delaying high-temperature reactions due to the colloidal layer’s effect.XRD results indicate that during the process of pyrolysis,there is a progressive decrease in the interlayer spacing of aromatic layers(d002),while the aromatic ring stacking height(L_(c))and lateral size(L_(a))undergo significant of carbon skeleton ordering.Further comparative reveals that CTP partially suppresses structural ordering at low temperatures,whereas HDPE promotes the condensation and alignment of aromatic clusters via a free radical mechanism.Raman spectroscopy reveals a two-stage reorganization mechanism in the microstructure of the coal char:the decrease in the I_(D)/I_(G)ratio between 350 and 550℃is primarily attributed to the cleavage of aliphatic side chains and cross-linking bonds,leading to a reduction in defective structures;whereas the increase in ID/IG between 550 and 600℃is closely associated with enhanced condensation reactions of aromatic structures.Correlation analysis further demonstrates progressive graphitization during pyrolysis,with a significant positive correlation(R^(2)>0.85)observed between d002 and the full width at half maximum of the G-band(FWHM-G).