Energy & Fuels, Vol.33, No.4, 3465-3472, 2019
Study on the Small Molecular Composition of Cutinite from Luquan Cutinitic Liptobiolith by Ultrasonic-Assisted Sequential Extraction
The cutinite content in a typical cutinitic liptobiolith from the Luquan area of Yunnan Province, China, of middle Devonian, can be up to 85%. The equal density gradient method was used to separate the cutinite with the density gradient of cutinite being primarily 1.07-1.21 g/cm(3). Then, the cutinite was sequentially extracted with methanol, acetone, isometric N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone/carbon disulfide mixture (NMP/CS2), and cyclohexanone with ultrasonic irradiation to afford soluble portions (E1-E4) and residues (R1-R4). In total, about 48.60% of the organic matter in cutinite became soluble. According to the analysis of soluble portions by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and H-1 NMR, El was rich in nitrogen-containing organic compounds and esters, amounting to 50.72 and 30.32%. Esters were found in E1, E2, and E4. The content of esters in E2 was 43.54%. In addition, alkanes also were found in E2 and E3, attaining 21.10 and 19.88%, respectively. The main products of cyclohexanone extraction were ketones, about 39.33%. These experimental results indicated that a great deal of oxygen-containing compounds, alkanes, and aromatic species were released during the process of cutinite sequential extraction. The small-molecule component was primarily composed of C-12-C-18 linear alkane and aromatics of 1-2 rings. Compared with cutin, these findings are reasonably consistent with the results of the small-molecule composition released during coalification.