The Lille-Blokker model – an excellent tool to describe the structure of kukersite
Birgit Mets,
Kristiina Kaldas,
Jaan Mihkel Uustalu,
Margus Lopp
Affiliations
Birgit Mets
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
Kristiina Kaldas
Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
Jaan Mihkel Uustalu
Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
Margus Lopp
Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19836 Tallinn, Estonia
The structure of kukersite organic matter has been a matter of scientific investigation and disputes over a hundred years. When considering the publications on the subject the authors of the current article concluded that the structure of kukersite is well described by a model proposed independently by Ãlo Lille and Peter Blokker at the beginning of this millennium. This model characterizes the behaviour of kukersite in thermal processing and predicts the behaviour of oil shale kerogen in oxidation and other chemical transformations. The structural model may serve as a basis for new technologies for oil shale processing in order to get valuable chemicals directly from it.
