The dehydration of copper(II) acetate monohydrate

The thermal dehydration of copper(II) acetate hydrate has been studied between 353 and 406 K, over a range of humidities. The dehydration is controlled by nucleation-and-growth kinetics at low temperatures, with an activation energy of 154 kJ·mol⁻¹, which changes to contracting-disc kinetics at higher temperatures with a lower activation energy of 76 kJ·mol⁻¹. Frequency factors have also been derived; the value for the high temperature process is low (10⁷s⁻¹) and that for the low temperature step is high (10¹⁷s⁻¹). Optical microscopy has been used to clarify the bulk kinetics; there is evidence for a reactive layer at the surface of the decomposing solid. In celebration of the 60^th birthday of Dr Andrew K. Galwey