Production of Functional Materials from victorian Brown Coal

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The present project aims at developing new ways of utilizing Victorian brown coals, which has a high reactivity, several unique features and a potential usefulness as a source of functional materials.Five Japanese junior scientists were sent to Australia and engaged in experimental works, as follows. Dr.Ozaki (Tohoku Univ.) stayd at Monash Univ. to elucidate the role of iron on the thermal decomposition of brown coals. Dr Kumagai (Hokkaido Univ.) measured NMR spectra at elevated temperatures at CSIRO.Dr.Korai (Kyushu Univ.) did research on carbonaceous materials at Monash Univ. Dr.Takanohashi (Tohoku Univ.) performed viscoelastic study of brown coal gels at Swinburne Univ. Dr.K.Sugawara (Akita Univ.) visited several organization to see the activities on sulfur removal from coal. Three Australian scientists, Drs.Patti, Mainwaring and Hobday, visited Japanese research organizations to discuss possible ways of brown coal utilization.Through the exchange program, as well as by works carried out at each University, the following results have beeen obtained. Effect of cations on pyrolysis of brown coal is demonstrated. The stability of brown coal briquette was given light from the view points of hydrogen bonding. The difference in structure is indicated for coals dried and dewatered. Mobility of coal molecules and their conformation were measured by PMRTA and others. Highly active and easily recoverable catalyst for coal liquefaction has been developed. Carbon fibers from synthesized pitches are shown to have micro and mesoscopic carbon units. Viscoelasticity of coal extracts is found to have different properties from those of raw coals or extract residues. Sulfur removal form coal is found to be more complete when pyrolysis is coupled with alkali pretreatment.These results do suggest a new aspect of brown coal utilization to be developed.