The effect of calcination on reactive milling of anthracite as potential precursor for graphite production

• Published in: Fuel processing technology Vol. 90; no. 12; pp. 1515 - 1523
• Main Authors: Burgess-Clifford, Caroline E., Narayanan, Deepa L., Van Essendelft, Dirk T., Jain, Puja, Sakti, Apurba, Lueking, Angela D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.12.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anthracite calcinations; Anthracite milling in hydrocarbon solvent; Anthracite structure; Applied sciences; Ball-milled anthracite; Coal and derived products; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Graphite precursor; Processing; Graphite precursor; Anthracite structure; Anthracite calcinations; Ball-milled anthracite; Anthracite milling in hydrocarbon solvent; Particle size; Ball mill; Graphitizing; High temperature; Anthracite; Calcining; Crystallites; Graphite; Oxidation; Argon; X ray diffractometry
• ISSN: 0378-3820; 1873-7188
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2009.07.017

The effect of a pretreatment using reactive ball milling and calcination on the graphitizability of an anthracite coal is explored. A thermal anneal of Buck Mountain anthracite at 1400 °C in argon increased the L c crystallite dimension (from 12 to 20 Å) and led to an increase in the oxidation temperature of the product. Ball milling of the coal reduced particle size with a nominal effect on carbon order and the degree of graphitization after the 1400 °C thermal anneal ( L c from 18 to 29 Å). Ball milling in cyclohexene led to a substantial increase in the graphitizability at 1400 °C ( L c from 12 to 50 Å). The enhanced reactivity was due to both carbon structure and introduced metal. The products of the mechano-chemical pretreatment and thermal anneal consisted of nanographene ribbons and multi-walled nanopolyhedral particles. It oxidized at moderate temperatures and had a high (74.3%) degree of graphitization based on X-ray diffraction analysis; the derived material has potential as filler for production of graphite.