Coal Gasification By-Product Utilization and Characterization
Summary
Coal gasification generates substantial quantities of coarse and fine slag alongside residual carbon and inorganic residues. Historically treated as waste, these by-products are now recognised as versatile feedstocks for advanced materials, soil amendments and resource recovery. Characterisation studies employ petrographic analysis, X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and surface area measurements to elucidate the morphology, phase composition and pore structure of gasification slags. Residual carbon fractions, often amorphous with high surface area, serve as precursors for activated carbons and adsorbents, while mineral constituents rich in silica, alumina and iron oxides underpin the synthesis of mesoporous materials and fillers. Emerging separation techniques—such as flotation, colliding-flow pulp conditioning and acid leaching—enable efficient partitioning of carbon and ash, supporting circular-economy strategies. Across diverse climates and industrial settings, the valorisation of gasification by-products addresses environmental liabilities, reduces landfill pressure and offers pathways to extract critical elements, reinforce polymers and improve soil health.
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Coal Gasification By-Product Utilization and Characterization publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in coal gasification by-product utilization and characterization across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Residual carbon: Carbonaceous fraction remaining after gasification, characterised by porous, amorphous structure.
Fine slag: Sub-millimetre gasification by-product composed of vitrified ash and entrained carbon particles.
Mesoporous silica: Silica material with uniform pores (2–50 nm) useful for adsorption and catalysis.
Acid leaching: Treatment process using mineral acids to dissolve and extract target components.
Flotation: Separation technique exploiting surface hydrophobicity differences to isolate carbon from mineral matter.
References
- Physicochemical Characteristics of Residual Carbon and Inorganic Minerals in Coal Gasification Fine Slag. Molecules (2024).
- Numerical and Experimental Study on the Colliding Flow Pulp Conditioning for the Separation Intensification of Unburned Carbon from Coal Gasification Slag. Minerals (2023).
- Multiscale analysis of fine slag from pulverized coal gasification in entrained-flow bed. International Journal of Coal Science & Technology (2024).
- Enhanced Gallium Extraction Using Silane-Modified Mesoporous Silica Synthesized from Coal Gasification Slag. Molecules (2024).
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