Abstract
This paper reviews a substantial number of chemical and physical factors which influence the development of plasticity in coal. Results of our recent studies convincingly show that development of plasticity is essentially a transient hydrogen-donor process (stabilization of the resulting free radicals by hydrogen atoms) in which the solvating and hydrogen donating vehicle is supplied by the coal itself.
The importance of the vehicle of low weight substances of quality and of quantity was stressed.
New methods of characterization of coal and coal tar by means of iodine doping are also discussed.
The understanding of plasticity development is profoundly significant in most process uses of coal and especially to the design of coke furnaces in the future.
