Thermal decomposition of gamma-irradiated potassium bromate by dynamic thermogravimetry

The thermal decomposition of γ-irradiated KBrO₃studied by dynamic thermogravimetry. The reaction order, activation energy, frequency factor and entropy of activation were computed by means of the Coats-Redfern, Freeman-Carroll and modified Horowitz-Metzger methods and were compared with those for the unirradiated salt. Irradiation enhances the decomposition and the effect increases with the irradiation dose. The activation energy is decreased on irradiation. The mechanism for the decomposition of unirradiated and irradiated KBrO₃ follows the Avrami model equation, [1-(1-α)^1/3] = kt, and the rate-controlling process is a phase boundary reaction assuming spherical symmetry.