The pore structure in processed Victorian brown coal

Changes in the pore structure of Victorian Brown coal when upgraded with heated gases under pressure are investigated. We show that the results obtained from ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS) measurements agree with previous results using small-angle X-ray scattering results but that USANS may also be used to investigate the meso porosity. Findings from small-angle scattering are confirmed using electron microscopy. We also show evidence from electron diffraction that thermal conditions within the brown coals during the upgrade procedure may be far more extreme than previously thought