Compression measurements on coal particles that have been exhaustively
extracted and swollen in pyridine are reported. The particles shaw a
viscoelastic response, with the initial elastic modulus showing a decr
ease with increase in temperature, while the overall modulus increases
with temperature. These results are interpreted in terms of coal bein
g a macromolecular network consisting of relatively stiff chains that
over short, time spans do not have time to relax. The typical entropic
response (i.e,, modulus increasing with temperature) is only observed
at longer times. These results are consistent with the idea that coal
is a macromolecular network and not an associated structure.