Kinetics of formation of barium tungstate in equimolar powder mixture of BaCO3 and WO3

The formation of Barium monotungstate (BaWO₄) particles in equimolar powder mixtures of BaCO₃ and WO₃ was examined under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions upon heating in air at 25–1200 °C, using thermogravimetry. Concurrence of the observed mass loss (due to the release of CO₂) to the occurrence of the formation reaction was evidenced. Accordingly, the extent of reaction (x) was determined as a function of time (t) or temperature (T). The x–t and x–T data thus obtained were processed using well established mathematical apparatus and methods, in order to characterize nature of reaction rate-determining step, and derive isothermal and non-isothermal kinetic parameters. Moreover, the reaction mixture quenched at various temperatures (600–1,000 °C) in the reaction course was analyzed by various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, for material characterization. The results obtained indicated that the reaction rate may be controlled by unidirectional diffusion of WO₃ species across the product layer (BaWO₄), which was implied to form on the barium carbonate particles. The isothermally determined activation energy (118–125 kJ/mol) was found to be more credible than that (245 kJ/mol) determined non-isothermally.