A study op kinetics of thermal decomposition of solid substances 1. Thermal decomposition of lead carbonate

Abstract

1. A new method of study of the kinetics of thermal decomposition of solids, which permits one to accomplish the process in vacuum with a good heat supply to the specimen, was developed in this work. 2. Decomposition of lead carbonate occurs at a rate which is proportional to the surface area of the undecomposed substance without any autocatalytic action of the solid reaction product. 3. The activation energy of thermal decomposition of lead carbonate and the pre-exponential factor were calculated. The value of the activation energy was found to be 41,500 calories per mole while the values of the pre-exponential factor was (0.5 ± 0.5) · 1010 gm/cm−2.Sec−1.