Moisture dependence of responses in physical–chemical property and CH4 ad-/desorption capability of coals to microwave radiation

•Dielectric property of coals was measured at varying temperatures and frequencies.•Moisture initially increases heating rate while reduces final temperature of coals.•Steam explosion caused by steep temperature disorders crystallite structure.•Moisture further promotes microwave radiation to reform pores of coals.•Microwave radiation further enhances CH4 desorption capability of wetted coals. For purpose of understanding feasibility of coalbed methane (CBM) production in practical water (H2O)-containing reservoirs by using microwave radiation, the dielectric property highly associated with microwave-absorbing and resultant temperature-rising capabilities of coals were addressed primarily; afterward, the temperature-rising rule of coals and its dependence on moisture were examined; finally, the impacts of moisture on changes about main physical–chemical property and resultant CH4 ad-/desorption performance of coals were investigated under microwave field. Results indicated that the coals display microwave-absorbing potential to raise temperature. The moisture initially increases the temperature-rising rate owing to its strong microwave-absorbing capability while decreases the final bulk temperature because of its endothermal evaporation. The resultant rising temperature decomposes and transforms minerals. Moreover, the temperature rise upgrades crystallite structure of the dried coals. As for the wetted coals, the rapid temperature rise disorders crystallite structure of the Sihe and Yima coals due to potential steam explosion. Furthermore, the radiation decreases the aromaticity and the total surface oxygenic groups of the dried coals; the moisture whittles down these decreasing trends. In general, the micro- and mesopore surface area and volume of the coals drops after radiation. The microwave radiation smooths pore surface of the wetted coals while roughens that of the dried coals. The complexity of the coal pore structure almost reduces after radiation. Besides, the microwave radiation significantly reduces the CH4 adsorption capability of the dried coals by 6.74–36.69 %; the moisture further reduces the CH4 adsorption capability by 20.48–43.03 %. Ultimately, the microwave radiation almost enhances the ad-/desorption hysteresis of CH4 on the dried coals while weakens that of the wetted coals. Such alterations depend on the responses of pore abundance and pore surface roughness to microwave. These findings confirm that microwave radiation is a promising