Thermal Analysis of Cobalt(II) Salts with some Carboxylic Acids

The thermal analysis of CoC₂O₄·2H₂O, Co(HCOO)₂·2H₂O and Co(CH₃COO)₂·4H₂O was carried out with simultaneous TG-DTG-DTA measurements under non-isothermal conditions in air and argon atmospheres. The intermediates and the end products of decomposition were characterised by X-ray diffraction and IR and UV-VIS spectroscopy. The decomposition of the studied compounds occur in several stages. The first stage of dissociation of each compound is dehydration both in air and argon. The next stages differ in air and argon. The final product of the decomposition of each compound in air is Co₃O₄. In argon it is a mixture of Co and CoO for cobalt(II) oxalate and cobalt(II) formate but CoO for cobalt(II) acetate. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Kinetics of the thermal decomposition of [Co(NH3)6]2(C2O4)3·4H2O

The thermal decomposition of [Co(NH₃)₆]₂(C₂O₄)₃·4H₂O was studied under isothermal conditions in flowing air and argon. Dissociation of the above complex occurs in three stages. The kinetics of the particular stages thermal decomposition have been evaluated. The R_N and/or A_M models were selected as those best fitting the experimental TG curves. The activation energies,E, and lnA were calculated with a conventional procedure and by a new method suggested by Kogaet al. [10, 11]. Comparison of the results have showed that the Arrhenius parameters values estimated by the use of both methods are very close. The calculated activation energies were in air: 96 kJ mol^–1 (R_1.575, stage I); 101 kJ mol^–1 (Ain1.725 stage II); 185 kJ mol^–1 (A _2.9, stage III) and in argon: 66 kJ mol^–1 (A _1.25, stage I); 87 kJ mol^–1 (A _1.825, stage II); 133 kJ mol^–1 (A _2.525, stage III).     

Thermal decomposition of [Co(NH3)6]2(C2O4)3·4H2O: II. Identification of the gaseous products

The main goal of the presented work was to verify the previously assumed decomposition stages of [Co(NH₃)₆]₂(C₂O₄)₃·4H₂O (HACOT) [Thermochim. Acta 354 (2000) 45] under different atmospheres (inert, oxidising and reducing). The gaseous products of the decomposition were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed by mass spectrometry (MS) and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). It was confirmed that the gaseous products of HACOT decomposition under studied atmospheres there were H₂O (stage I) and NH₃, CO₂ (stage II). The main gaseous products in the third stage in argon and hydrogen (20 vol.% H₂/Ar) were CO and CO₂, whereas in air (20 vol.% O₂/Ar) only CO₂ was identified. Under the oxidising as well as reducing atmospheres the influence of secondary reactions on the composition of both, solid and gaseous products was found particularly strong during the third stage of the process. The studies of the multistage decomposition of HACOT, additionally complicated by many secondary reactions, required application of the hyphenated TA-MS or TA-FT-IR techniques combined with the pulse thermal analysis PTA^® allowing quantification of the spectroscopic signals and investigation of gas-solid and gas-gas reactions in situ.     

Phase diagram and electrical conductivity of TbBr3-NaBr binary system

Several experimental techniques were used to characterise the physicochemical properties of the TbBr₃-NaBr system. The phase diagram determined by DSC, exhibits an eutectic and a Na₃TbBr₆ stoichiometric compound that decomposes peritectically (759 K) shortly after a solid-solid phase transition (745 K). The eutectic composition, x(TbBr₃)=39.5 mol%, was obtained from the Tamman method. This mixture melts at 699 K. With the corresponding enthalpy of about 16.1 kJ mol^-1. Diffuse reflectance spectra of the pure components and their solid mixtures (after homogenisation in the liquid state) confirmed the existence of new phase exhibiting its own spectral characteristics, which may be possibly related to the formation of Na₃TbBr₆ in this system. Additionally, the electrical conductivity of TbBr₃-NaBr liquid mixtures was measured down to temperatures below solidification over the whole composition range. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Phase diagram and electrical conductivity of the CeBr3–CsBr binary system

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Phase equilibrium in the CeBr3–CsBr binary system was established from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). This system includes three...     

Comparison ofE a values obtained by thermal analysis with energy of ‘charge-transfer’ spectra for potassium and silver permanganates

The activation energy,E _a taken from the thermal decomposition of KMnO₄ and AgMnO₄ was compared with the energy of the longest wavelength O→Mn ‘charge transfer’ (CT) transition. TheE _a and CT correlation was found in these systems. However, such relationship can be valid when in the dissociation process the electron transfer is assumed to be the rate determining step. Thus, the permanganates as well as the previously studied chromates, are positive examples showing that in some cases, the energies derived from both methods can be comparable.     

Thermal decomposition of [Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl2

The thermal decomposition of [Co(NH₃)₅Cl]Cl₂ was studied under non-isothermal conditions, in dynamic air and argon atmospheres. The kinetics of the particular stages of [Co(NH₃)₅Cl]Cl₂ thermal decomposition were evaluated from the dynamic weight loss data by means of the modified Coats-Redfern method. TheD _n andR _n models were selected as the models best fitting the experimental TG curves. These models suggest that the kinetics and macromechanism of [Co(NH₃)₅Cl]Cl₂ decomposition can be governed by diffusive and/or phase boundary processes. The values of the activation energy,E _a, and the pre-exponencial factor,A, of the particular stages of the thermal decomposition were calculated.     

TG and DTA Evaluation of Cobalt Salts and Complexes Mixed with Activated Carbon

The thermal decomposition process of mixtures of CoC₂O₄⋅2H₂O (COD) or Co(HCOO)₂⋅2H₂O (CFD) or [Co(NH₃)₆]₂(C₂O₄)₃⋅4H₂O (HACOT) with activated carbon was studied with simultaneous TG–DTG–DTA measurements under non-isothermal conditions in argon and argon/oxygen admixtures. The results show that the thermal decomposition of the studied mixtures in Ar proceeds in the same manner. It begins with the salt decomposition to Co_met+CoO mixture followed by (T>680 K) the simultaneous reduction of CoO to Co_metand carbon degasification. The final product of the thermal decomposition of COD-C and CFD-C mixtures, identified by XRD, is β-Co. Cobalt contents determined in the final products fall in the range 71–78 mass%. The rest is amorphous residual carbon. In Ar/O₂ admixtures the end product is Co₃O₄ with ash admixture. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Electrical conductivity of the molten EuBr2–MBr binary mixtures (M = Li, Na, K, Rb, or Cs)

The electrical conductivity of all EuBr₂–alkali metal bromide liquid mixtures was measured as function of temperature over the whole composition range. The activation energy, E_A, was evaluated for all liquid mixtures. It was revealed that the classical Arrhenius dependence did not stand for any individual mixture. The obtained results were discussed in terms of complex formation in the melts.     

Review of the thermodynamic and transport properties of EuBr<Subscript>2</Subscript>–RbBr binary system

Differential Scanning Calorimetry was used to study phase equilibrium in EuBr₂–RbBr binary system. It was established that this system includes two eutectics and three stoichiometric compounds. First of them, Rb₂EuBr₄, decomposes peritectically at 778 K. Second one, RbEuBr₃, undergoes the solid–solid phase transition at 732 K and melts incongruently at 852 K. Third compound, RbEu₂Br₅, melts congruently at 888 K. The composition and temperature values of eutectics were determined as x(EuBr₂) = 0.316; T _eut = 776 K and x(EuBr₂) = 0.797; T _eut = 859 K. Mixing enthalpy was measured by direct calorimetry on the whole composition range. The minimum of the mixing enthalpy occurs around the composition x(EuBr₂) ≈ 0.4. The electrical conductivity of liquid mixtures was also investigated over the whole composition range and measured down to temperatures below solidification. The specific conductance (liquid phase) plotted against the mole fraction of EuBr₂ shows a broad minimum at x(EuBr₂) ~ 0.6. The activation energy for conductivity changes with temperature. Results obtained are discussed in terms of possible complex formation.