Paramagnetic Centres in Coal Macerals

The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study of coal macerals: exinite, vitrinite and inertinite separated from clarain of the Polish medium-rank coal with carbon content of 85.6 wt% C, were performed. Using the continuous microwave saturation technique (measurements at 223 K and 291 K), as a result of numerical analysis of recorded EPR spectra of exinite, vitrinite and inertinite, their multi-component structure was shown. The EPR spectra of exinite and vitrinite consist of three component lines: one Gaussian G and two Lorentzians: L1 and L3. The EPR spectra of inertinite consist of two narrow lines with Lorentzian line shape L2 and L3. Temperature measurements of studied coal macerals in the range 100-373 K were done. It was evidenced that, in group of paramagnetic centres responsible for Lorentzian L1 component line, paramagnetic centres with thermally excited triplet states (S = 1) exist. Existence of paramagnetic centres with thermally excited triplet states was not observed in inertinite.