Physical characteristics of cold cured anthracite/coke breeze briquettes prepared from a coal tar acid resin

Phenolic resins were synthesised using the whole coal tar acid fraction of the oil from a low temperature carbonisation process. A series of briquette s were prepared using a number of coal tar acid concentrations, cured at am bient temperature with various concentrations of sulphuric acid and were su bjected to a variety of physical tests. Excellent briquettes, in terms of m echanical strength, water-proofing characteristics and thermal degradation, were produced with both nominally 10 and 9% w/w resole solution and acid c oncentrations down to 1.8 M, corresponding to sulphur addition in the briqu ettes of ca. 0.2% w/w. Briquettes bound with 8% w/w resole solution, howeve r, required stronger acid concentrations to satisfy the test conditions. Wh en the briquettes were combusted up to 850 degrees C, they retained their c ore shape after 70% weight loss. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.