New opportunities for research in coal derived chemicals

Abstract

Some specialty chemicals are monomers for new variety of aromatic engineering plastics. Some of these monomers can be prepared from 1-4 ring aromatics (alkylated benzenes, biphenyl, anthracene, phenanthrene, pyrene, phenol and carbazole). Among these, 2, 6-dialkyl naphthalenes, 4, 4’- dialkyl benzenes assume greater importance. By oxidation of coal and lignite using alkaline group I metal oxide, it is possible to isolate phenolic acids and naphthalene di-carboxylic acid, which are also important monomers for engineering plastics. By developing critical aromatic chemicals from coal, carbo-chemical resources could contribute to high technology development leading to reduction in the cost of basic monomers. Markets with large volume of carbo-chemicals can be further stimulated through high performance industrial carbons such as graphite, carbon fibre as also by developing processes for manufacture of adsorbents for environmental applications such as air and water purification.