A Study on the Inhibition Performance and Mechanism of a Thermosensitive Hydrogel Composite Inhibitor

ABSTRACT To address the problems pertaining to conventional physical inhibitors, such as being prone to failure at high temperatures and having insufficient thermal stability, we selected methylcellulose and polyethylene glycol as thermosensitive materials, dl ‐malic acid as an antioxidant, and modified ZnO as a nanomaterial. A thermosensitive hydrogel composite inhibitor was synthesized via graft copolymerization and solution polymerization. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the composite inhibitor formed a porous structure, enhancing its water absorption capacity. Oxidation kinetic analysis showed that the coal samples' activation energy rose by 5.94% in the T 5 – T 8 temperature range after inhibition treatment. Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy experiments demonstrated that the inhibitor inhibited the production of functional groups containing oxygen, encouraged the creation of ether bonds, and postponed the consumption of hydroxyl and aliphatic groups. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that the ether bond content on the coal surface increased to 43.97% after inhibition, and newly formed O bonds were detected. Finally, this composite inhibitor's synergistic inhibition mechanism was analyzed. The research results reported herein provide a new theoretical basis and useful guidance for the prevention and control of the spontaneous combustion of coal.