Experimental study on the effects of pre-oxidation on the pore structure and fractal characteristics of coal

To assess the effects of pre-oxidation on pore structures and fractal features of coal samples, pre-oxidized coals at various oxidation temperatures were prepared and compared. Pore structure parameters of coal samples were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using electron scanning microscopy (SEM) and N2 adsorption. The pore volume of coal samples increased first and then decreased with the increase of oxidation temperature. Among them, the pre-oxidized coal at 150°C is the highest, which is 27.92% higher than the raw coal. The fractal features of coal samples were calculated by fractal theory. It was found that pre-oxidation makes pore fissures of coal samples develop with obvious pore expansion effect, which is more obvious at the higher pre-oxidation temperature. In addition, fractal dimension D2 of coal samples was increased by pre-oxidation, indicating that pore structures of pre-oxidized coal are more complex than those of raw coal.