Thermally excited multiplet states in macerals separated from bituminous coal

Electron paramagnetic resonance searches of thermally excited multiplet states in macerals, exinite, vitrinite, and inertinite of Polish medium-rank coal (85.6 wt% C), were performed. Numerical analysis of lineshape indicates a multicomponent structure of the EPR spectra of macerals heated at 300 degrees and 650 degrees C. EPR spectra of exinite and vitrinite are a superposition of broad Gauss, broad Lorentz (Lorentz 1), and narrow Lorentz (Lorentz 3) lines. Two narrow Lorentz (Lorentz 2 and Lorentz 3) lines were observed in the resonance absorption curves of inertinite. The influence of the measuring temperature (100-300 K) on the EPR lines of the macerals was also studied. The experimentally obtained temperature dependence of the EPR line intensities were fitted by the theoretical functions characteristic for paramagnetic centers with ground doublet state (S = 12) and paramagnetic centers with thermally excited triplet (S = 1) and quadruplet (S = 32) states. Thermally excited multiplet states were found in exinite and vitrinite. Both paramagnetic centers with doublet ground state (S = 12) and paramagnetic centers with thermally excited states, probably quadruplet states (S = 32), exist in the group of paramagnetic centers of exinite and vitrinite with the broad Lorentz 1 lines. Intensities (I) of the broad Gauss and the narrow Lorentz 3 lines of exinite and vitrinite changes with temperature according to the Curie law (I = C/T). The existence of thermally excited multiplet states was not stated for inertinite. The two groups of paramagnetic centers of inertinite with Lorentz 2 and Lorentz 3 lines obey the Curie law. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.