Patent ID: 8795395

Claim:
A process for preparing structurally modified lignite composition comprising the steps of (a) adding lignite with water in a ratio in the range of 1:2 to 1:5 (w/v), (b) cooling hydrogen peroxide to a temperature of about adding −20° C. and adding the same to the lignite containing water, (c) increasing the temperature of the reaction mixture thus obtained to a value in the range of 5 to 20° C. in one or more steps and allowing the reaction to proceed at a temperature in the range of 15 to 20° C. for a time period in the range of 3 to 7 hours and (d) adding to the reaction mixture thus obtained sequentially and periodically hydrogen peroxide having a concentration greater than the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide used in step (b) to obtain structurally modified lignite composition containing substantial amount of organic molecules whose molecular weight is below 500.