Solid-state decomposition studies on fluoroperoxo species of transition metals. Part VI. Kinetics of isothermal decomposition of M2Zr2(O2)2F6 · 2 H2O (M = Rb+, or Cs+)

The decomposition of solid fluoroperoxozirconates of alkali metals, M₂Zr₂(O₂)₂F₆ · 2 H₂O (M = Rb⁺, Cs⁺), is carried out in vacuum under isothermal conditions. The stoichiometry of the reaction may be represented by the equation, M₂Zr₂(O₂)₂F₆ · 2 H₂O(S) — M₂Zr₂O₂F₆(s) + O₂(g) + 2 H₂ O(g) (condensed). The fractional decomposition α is determined by measuring the pressure of oxygen evolved during pyrolysis with a McLeod gauge. The α values range from 0.06 to 0.70 for the rubidium and from 0.06 to 0.79 for the caesium species in the temperature ranges 107–202°C and 101–219°C, respectively. The α—time data for both compounds show that the kinetics are deceleratory throughout the course of the decomposition reaction. In both compounds, the initial stages of decomposition are described by a unimolecular decay law, while the later stages obey a contracting volume equation at all temperatures. The activation energies from Arrhenius plots are 14.0 and 10.9 kcal mole^?1 for the rubidium and 12.9 and 11.2 kcal mole^?1 for the caesium compound.