Experimental Research on the Influence of Microwave Radiation on Coal Permeability and Microstructure

[Image: see text] At present, there is limited information available about the effects of microwave radiation on desorption characteristics, microstructures, and functional groups of coal. This research focuses on the influence of microwave radiation on coal sample desorption and examines the changes in pore structures and oxygenic groups of different coal samples using liquid nitrogen adsorption, nuclear magnetic resonance, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results prove that the methane desorption capacity and desorption rate are proportional to the increase in microwave energy; the initial dynamic diffusion coefficient is also proportional to microwave energy but negatively proportional to the attenuation coefficient. As a result of microwave radiation, the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, pore size, and Barret–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) pore volume decreased. The specific surface area of BET decreased and then increased as microwave energy increased, while the average pore size increased and then decreased. However, the change in the BJH cumulative adsorption pore volume was complicated. The microwave radiation decreases the volume and number of micropores while increasing the volume and number of medium pores. With the increase in microwave energy, the number and volume of micropores continue to decrease, while the number and volume of medium pores continue to increase. An increase in microwave energy increased the surface area of oxygenic groups with the increasing relative content of COO–, C–O, and C=O bonds; however, the relative content of C–C/C–H bonds decreased. These findings deepen the understanding of the antireflection effects of microwaves on coal.