The anodic oxidation of coal. Part II. The effect of oxidizing vitrain and ulmic acids at various metal anodes

✍ Scribed by Belcher, R.

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1948
• Weight: 272 KB
• Volume: 67
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0368-4075
• DOI: 10.1002/jctb.5000670601

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

An estimation of the yields obtained when coal and ulmic acids are oxidized at copper, lead and platinum anodes has been made. It was found that both ulmic acids and water‐soluble acids were produced in appreciable amounts when the Meltonfield vitrain was oxidized at a copper anode, the water‐soluble acids being in excess. Lynch and Collett had previously claimed that only ulmic acids were formed at the copper anode. They also found that no further degradation took place when the ulmic acids were treated at a copper anode. On the other hand degradation occurred rapidly at platinum, and lead anodes. Their evidence for this degradation was based on the fact that carbon dioxide was produced. It was confirmed in the present investigation that the copper anode was incapable of effecting a further degradation of the ulmic acids, although it proceeded rapidly at platinum and lead anodes. However, the water‐soluble products obtained at these anodes are very different from those obtained when coal is oxidized at a copper anode. They appear to consist solely of highly oxygenated material incapable of forming salts. Since water‐soluble acids are produced at a copper anode together with ulmic acids, and ulmic acids cannot be degraded further by a copper anode, it would appear that the water‐soluble acids were not produced through an intermediate stage from the ulmic acids. This mode of formation has been accepted hitherto. A theory to account for these reactions is advanced.