Electron spin resonance and related studies of lignite and ball clay from South Devon,England

Electron spin resonance and infrared spectroscopic studies of lignite and ball clay from South Devon, and of extracts obtained from them by solvent fractionation, revealed similarities between corresponding organic components associated with both materials. All fractions exhibited a free radical resonance at g = 2.0037, which occurred with greatest intensity in the humic acids. Additional ESR features due to Fe³⁺, Mn²⁺ and VO²⁺ complexes were observed. Ferric ions give rise to resonances at g = 4.2 which have not been previously reported in the case of natural carbonaceous materials. It is shown that the paramagnetic species associated with the ball clay and lignite extracts do not significantly contribute to the observed ESR spectra of kaolinites, the latter being attributable to substituted Fe³⁺ ions and defect centres within the kaolinite lattice.