The first quarter of this project was used to carry out a detailed planning process to coordinate the various aspects of this collaborative effort. A workshop was held at Brown University on December 4, 1996, attended by all project participants and key visitors, in which presentations were given by the principal investigators on their respective subtasks. The planning process culminated in the completion of a comprehensive document submitted to DOE / FETC under separate cover. Following the planning exercise, research work was initiated and will be continued in the second project quarter.

During the second quarter of this project, progress was made on both major technical tasks. Three parallel efforts were initiated on the modeling of carbon structural evolution. Structural ordering during carbonization was studied by a numerical simulation scheme proposed by Alan Kerstein involving molecular weight growth and rotational mobility. Work was also initiated to adapt a model of carbonaceous mesophase formation, originally developed under parallel NSF funding, to the prediction of coke texture. This latter work makes use of the FG-DVC model of coal pyrolysis developed by Advanced Fuel Research to specify the pool of aromatic clusters that participate in the order/disorder transition. Boston University has initiated molecular dynamics simulations of carbonization processes and Ohio State has begun theoretical treatment of surface reactions. Experimental work has also begun on model compound studies at Brown and on pilot-scale combustion systems with widely varying flame types at OSE. The work on mobility / growth models shows great promise and is discussed in detail in the body of the report.

During the third quarter of this project, progress was made on both major technical tasks. Progress was made in the chemistry department at OSU on the calculation of thermodynamic properties for a number of model organic compounds. Modelling work was carried out at Brown to adapt a thermodynamic model of carbonaceous mesophase formation, originally applied to pitch carbonization, to the prediction of coke texture in coal combustion. This latter work makes use of the FG-DVC model of coal pyrolysis developed by Advanced Fuel Research to specify the pool of aromatic clusters that participate in the order/disorder transition. This modelling approach shows promise for the mechanistic prediction of the rank dependence of char structure and will therefore be pursued further. Crystalline ordering phenomena were also observed in a model char prepared from phenol-formaldehyde carbonized at 900{degrees}C and 1300{degrees}C using high-resolution TEM fringe imaging. Dramatic changes occur in the structure between 900 and 1300{degrees}C, making this char a suitable candidate for upcoming in situ work on the hot stage TEM. Work also proceeded on molecular dynamics simulations at Boston University and on equipment modification and testing for the combustion experiments with widely varying flame types at Ohio State.