Chemical Characterization of Coal: Quality Control and Applications of Nuclear Analytical Methods Utilizing Neutrons (Thermal and Fast) and Low Energy Protons from Accelerators

Abstract Preparation of in‐house reference materials of two different graded coal samples involves quality control in terms of chemical characterization. Neutron and proton‐based nuclear analytical techniques have been explored here using high flux nuclear research reactor and low energy proton accelerator. Concentrations of trace elements such as Sc, Cr, Fe, Co, Sb, Ce, Th, U, Eu, Hf, and Rb were determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA) with adequate accuracy and precision. Coal ash content can be derived from the inorganic oxide constituents (Na 2 O, MgO, Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , K 2 O and CaO). Coal‐1 was found to contain slightly higher ash content (∼35%) with low calorific value (C content ∼49% obtained from, pulsed fast and thermal neutron activation [PFTNA]) as compared to coal‐2 (∼33%). Ion beam analysis (IBA) technique (particle induced gamma‐ray emission [PIGE]) was utilized for quantification of inorganic major elements. Thermal and fast neutron probed nuclear methods like NAA using pneumatic carrier facility (PCF) and PFTNA in conjunction with IBA have proved their excellence for nondestructive chemical characterization. Energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (EDXRF) was also utilized as an alternate analytical technique for concentration determination of K, Ca, Fe, Ti, Zn, and Rb as a part of QC exercise.