Effect of atmosphericwater vapor on the kinetics of thermal decomposition of copper(II) carbonate hydroxide

The effect of atmospheric water vapor on the kinetic rate behavior of the thermal decomposition of copper(II) carbonate hydroxide, Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂, was investigated by means of TG-DTA coupled with a programmable humidity controller. With increasing water vapor pressure p(H₂O) from 0.8 to 10.6 kPa, a systematic reduction of the reaction temperature of the thermal decomposition was observed as the continuous trend from the previous works at the lower p(H₂O). Through a comparative kinetic analysis of the reaction at different p(H₂O), a catalytic action of the atmospheric water vapor on the nucleation process at the first half of the reaction was identified as the possible origin of the reduction of the reaction temperature.