Effect of hydrofluoric acid on Guizhou anthracite structure modification and response to enhanced hydrolysis and permeability of coal

Abstract

ABSTRACT To investigate the structural modification of Guizhou anthracite through the application of hydrofluoric acid and its corresponding response in terms of enhanced gas desorption and permeability, we utilized Guizhou anthracite from a mining area as the focal point of our study. We conducted a series of experiments encompassing X-ray diffraction (XRD), initial gas release velocity measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Our investigation identified hydrofluoric acid as the primary acid solution, with an optimal concentration of 6% and a soaking duration of 12 hours. Furthermore, our theoretical analysis unveiled the physicochemical structural evolution of Guizhou anthracite under the influence of hydrofluoric acid and its subsequent response to enhanced gas desorption and permeability within the coal. Regarding chemical structure, hydrofluoric acid effectively dissolves inorganic minerals in anthracite and reduces the condensation of its regular basic structural units. Peak fitting of functional groups on the surfaces of the experimental coal samples revealed that hydrofluoric acid induces side chain reactions in the molecular structure of anthracite, promoting the gradual ordering of the aromatic structure. Simultaneously decreasing the content of cyclically closely bonded and self-associated hydroxyl hydrogen bonds. These alterations in irregular basic structural units can diminish coal’s adsorption capacity for gas, thereby enhancing gas desorption. Regarding the physical structure, treatment with hydrofluoric acid leads to the dissolution of minerals within specific pores and fissures of the coal samples, generating numerous dissolution pores. These pores and fissures expand and interconnect. The surface morphology quantified by fractal dimension has decreased by about 25.8%, indicating that pore and fracture structures often become relatively simple, which is conducive to gas flow and desorption in coal. Furthermore, the effective porosity and total porosity of the coal samples increase, as does the total movable fluid porosity. This enhances pore connectivity within the coal seam. Calculations reveal that after acidification, the permeability of the experimental coal samples increases by approximately 1.37 times, confirming the permeability-enhancing effect of hydrofluoric acid on anthracite.