The effects of heating manner and charring temperature on both the physical and chemical properties of coal were investigated by petrographic techniques. Six coal samples of different rank were subjected to chemical treatment plus heat treatment. The pyrolysis experiments were carried out on acid washed coal in order to avoid ash formation. The chars used in the study were prepared in a tube furnace and the morphology was characterized. The morphology analysis reveals the differences in reactivity among the coals. It was found that a link existed between total reflectance and aromaticity, total reflectance and fuel ratio, total reflectance and surface area, and total reflectance and percentage of carbon dry ash-free basis (daf), which all gave a definite relationship confirming, that reflectance can be used as a measuring index in coal analysis. The mean total reflectance of the lignite coal for the temperature regime 450 degrees C-700 degrees C is 1.26-436 %; sub-bituminous coal is 1.49-4.64 %; bituminous coal is 139-4.86 %; semi-anthracite is 2.15-4.86 %; and anthracite is 2.56-4.79 %. Thus, the large difference in the initial total reflectance between the different coal ranks became very narrow by 700 degrees C. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.