Use of databases in thermal analysis

Abstract

There have recently become available many commercial programs for microcomputers which can be utilized to manage databases (DBs). Such relational DB managers provide various mathematical, geometric, statistical, financial, string and error-trapping functions. Many of these functions are also available in spreadsheets which have been employed by the present author to determine successfully various kinetic parameters from thermogravimetric (TG) data, such as rate constants ( k) and reaction order ( n). In view of the preceding, the aim of the present study was to employ a DB script (just as macros were utilized in spreadsheets) to estimate kinetic parameters from TG data. Thus, a DB script was used which contains an algorithm that employs an iterative procedure along with isothermal TG data to determine values of k and n. The powerful Paradox 3 DB was utilized since it possesses the extensive paradox application language (PAL) which can be used to write scripts pertaining to the determination of kinetic parameters from TG data.