Rapid and non-destructive quantification of total boron and fluorine contents in coal and coke samples using external (in air) particle induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE)

Coke is a special kind of fuel obtained from calcinations or dry distillation of coal. It is mainly obtained in highly pure form having high carbon content with high calorific value. Typical routes followed in its preparation associates high temperature carbonization of coal through heating at temperature above 900℃ in absence of air to achieve requisite properties for metallurgical use. Depending on heating temperature and quality of coal most of the volatile contents come out in the form of gases like NH₃, methane, aromatic compounds and H₂O and liquids like tars and light oil, leaving behind mainly carbon and trace amounts of hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon and nitrogen. External (in air) PIGE method using 3.5 MeV proton beam from FOTIA was utilized for quantification of low Z elements like B and F in coal and coke samples. Elements B and F are quantified non-destructively at trace concentration levels, where in the detection limit for B and F were about 2 ppm and 90 ppm respectively