Publication Date

5-1984

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

James Hower, John Reasoner, John Riley

Degree Program

Department of Chemistry

Degree Type

Master of Science

Abstract

A method for non-matrix corrected organic sulfur analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy has been developed using petroleum coke standards. This technique capitalizes on the fact that when a substance is excited by an electron beam it will emit photons of electromagnetic radiation in the X-ray range. The emitted X-rays are characteristic of the excited elements in the substance. Typically, electron beam microanalysis is a rapid, nondestructive analytical technique to quantitatively measure organic sulfur in coal. The results show good correlation to ASTM values for numerous well characterized bituminous coals with a wide range in total and pyritic sulfur content. This direct analysis is capable of reducing error commonly associated with the present ASTM method which relies on an indirect measure of organic sulfur by difference. The precision of the organic sulfur values is comparable to that obtained by ZAF matrix corrected microanalysis.

The energy dispersive microanalysis is capable of measuring micro as well as bulk organic sulfur levels. The direct technique was used to measure micro-variations of organic sulfur in specific coal macerals and in ASTM Gieseler plastometry coal residues.

Disciplines

Chemistry | Organic Chemistry | Physical Sciences and Mathematics

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