Conducting polymer membrane from Coal by Dr Atma Ram Singh

 For the first time, an additive for conducting polymer membrane has been prepared from an Indian coal. Samla coal from Raniganj coalfield having 80% carbon on dmmf basis was first demineralised chemically and then degraded by oxidizing it with oxidizing agent followed by solubilization of oxy coal thus produced in polar organic solvent. The soluble part of the coal was dried and the solid residual part along with a neutral base material polyvinyl alcohol was used for making additive for conducting polymer membrane in the form of a coloured thin film. The quality of the film/membrane made has been extremely good and the conductance is in the range of 10-3 to 10-4 units (Scm-1). Due to non explanation of enhancement in carboxylic acid functional groups, on oxidation, from 1.2% to 18.3% by the Mazumdar’s proposed model coal structure, an anomaly with respect to 9-10 position of phenanthrene is observed and reported here and a correction to this has been proposed which explains the experimental results.