Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1997

Thesis Director

David H. Buchanan

Abstract

The goal of this research was to identify representative organosulfur compounds in Illinois coal which are removed by a mild, chemical desulfurization procedure. Pyridine was used to extract three raw Illinois coals. Coal with a significant amount of elemental sulfur was treated with 1:1 HCl/HF followed by lithium aluminum hydride before pyridine extraction. Pyridine soluble extracts were extracted with tetrahydrofuran. Nickel boride desulfurization was performed on the soluble extracts of the three coals. The before and after desulfurized THF soluble extracts were fractionated and purified by liquid chromatography and the eluents were anlyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to characterize the sulfur compounds and to determine if the identified compounds reacted during the desulfurization.

Elemental analyses for C, H, and S in both the before and after desulfurized THF soluble extracts were obtained and the percentage of sulfur loss due to nickel boride desulfurization was calculated for each coal. Percentage of sulfur loss for Illinois Basin Coal #101, Argonne Premium Coal Sample Program #301, and Illinois Basin Coal #108 were 26.74%, 24.75%, and 38.07% respectively for the first desulfurization. For the second desulfurization, they were 8.41%, 35.13%, and 33.03% for Illinois Basin Coal #101, Argonne Premium Coal Sample #301, and Illinois Basin Coal #108 respectively.

The organosulfur, compounds identified include 1,2-Benzisothiazole (C7H5NS) in IBC-#101, Dibenzothiophene (C12H8S) in Arg-#301, and a compound with empirical formula (C16H18O2S) in IBC-#108. The concentration of Dibenzothiophene decreased after the desulfurization.

Download

Included in

Chemistry Commons

Share

COinS