Kinetics and Mechanical Studies of Melaminium bis(trichloroacetate) dihydrate

Abstract

The thermal decomposition kinetics of melaminium bis(trichloroacetate) dihydrate (MTCA) has been studied by thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetry techniques using non-isothermal experiments at three different heating rates 10, 15, and 20 ◦C min−1. Non-isothermal studies of MTCA revealed that the decomposition occurs in three stages involving dehydration and decomposition. The apparent activation energy (Ea) and the pre-exponential factor (lnA) of each stage of thermal decomposition at various linear heating rates are calculated using Flynn Wall, Friedman, Kissinger, and Kim Park method. A signi cant variation of e ective activation energy (Ea) with conversion (α) indicates that the process is kinetically complex. The linear relationship between the A and Ea values is well established (compensation e ect). Isothermal kinetics of thermal decomposition of MTCA was found to obey Avrami Erofeev's (A4) and power law (P3) equations. In addition to the above, mechanical properties have been estimated by Vicker's microhardness test for the grown crystal.