Feasibility studies of formation of carbon foam from high sulfur Meghalaya coal

Abstract

Carbon foams have been produced from a high sulfur sub-bituminous Meghalaya (India) coal with good plasticity properties using a two-stage thermal process under different conditions of pressure and temperature. The first stage consists of a controlled carbonisation under pressure at 450°C, while the carbonisation product is baked at 1100°C in the second stage. The foams show macroporous texture. The mean pore size and the volume of pores have been determined. The increase in pressure reduces the pore size, while the pore volume increases with increasing temperature.