Multi-Component EPR Spectra of Coals with Different Carbon Content

EPR spectra of lignite"Mequinenza" (Spain) (62.3 wt% C) and Polish orthocoking coal (87.8 wt% C) were compared. The spectra were superpositions of broad Gaussian, broad Lorentzian 1, and narrow Lorentzian 3 lines. Concentration of paramagnetic centers - mainly delocalizedπ electrons - responsible for narrow Lorentzian 3 lines increases with increase in carbon content in coal. Coal units with slow and fast spin-lattice relaxation processes exist in the two studied samples. Slow spin-lattice interactions occur in simple aromatic coal units with broad Gaussian and Lorentzian 1 lines. Fast spin-lattice relaxation processes are characteristic of large aromatic units with narrow Lorentzian 3 lines.