Part I: Introduction. Chapter 1. Coal research in France from 1950 to 1978 (P. Chiche). Chapter 2. Introduction to coal research in France, from 1978 to 1988 (H. Charcosset). Part II: Physical and chemical data. Chapter 3. Preparation and analytical and petrographic data of French coals for the CERCHAR-GRECO minibank (C. Cwiklinski and L. Malechaux). Part III: Raw coals. Chapter 4. Molecular markers in bitumen and macromolecular matrix of coals. Their evaluation as rank parameters (Ph. Blanc and P. Albrecht). Chapter 5. Thermochemical characterization of coals. Adsorption of helium and carbon dioxide. Wetting phenomena by water, methanol and tetralin (Y. Grillet and P. Starzewski). Chapter 6. Characterization of French coals by small angle X-ray scattering (J.M. Guet). Chapter 7. Qualitative and quantitative aspects of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements in coals (H. Sfihi and A.P. Legrand). Chapter 8. Heterogeneity of structure and motion in coals as revealed by 13 C CP/MAS NMR (P. Tekely, D. Nicole and J.-J. Delpuech). Chapter 9. ESR study contribution to the characterization of structure, texture and reactivity of French coals of different ranks (B. Nickel-Pepin-Donat, A. Jeunet and A. Rassat). Chapter 10. Complex permittivity and characterization of coals (J.C. Giuntini, J.V. Zanchetta, I. Brach and S. Diaby). Chapter 11. Photoacoustic microscopy, a method of characterization of local organization of coals (D. Jullien, J.V. Zanchetta, C. Alibert and J.C. Giuntini). Chapter 12. Development of non destructive X scanner technique for coal characterization - Structure and reactivity (J. Kister, A. Cagnasso and H. Dou). Part IV: Products of extraction, oxidation and pyrolysis. Chapter 13. Characterization of polyaromatic structures in coal extracts and coal derived liquids by UV fluorescence (G. Mille, J. Kister, P. Doumenq and J.P. Aune). Chapter 14. Evidence of hydrogen peroxide formation in the early stages of coal oxidation (J.C. Petit and J.C. Boettner). Chapter 15. A calorimetric study of low temperature oxidation of coal (J.C. Petit and Z.X. Cheng). Chapter 16. Continuous gas detection during heating of coal and kerogen (J.P. Boudou, J. Espitalie and F. Marquis) Chapter 17. The characterization of coals and cokes by transmission electron microscopy (J.N. Rouzaud and A. Oberlin). Part V: Macerals. Chapter 18. Maceral separation and characterization (J.F. Muller, A. Abou Akar and J.P. Kohut). Chapter 19. Study of various rank French demineralized coals and maceral concentrates: band assignment of FTIR spectra after resolution enhancement using Fourier deconvolutions (M. Guiliano, G. Mille, P. Doumenq, J. Kister and J.F. Muller). Part VI: General discussion. Chapter 20. Advanced methodologies for the characterization of coals applied to the CERCHAR-GRECO minibank coals: some conclusions (GRECO Hydroconversion et Pyrolyse du Charbon). Subject index
