Size dependence of the thermal decomposition kinetics of nano-CaC2O4: A theoretical and experimental study

In the processes of preparation and application of nanomaterials, the thermal decomposition of nanoparticles is often involved. An improved general theory of thermal decomposition kinetics of nanoparticles, developed over the past 10 years, was presented in this paper where the relations between reaction kinetic parameters and particle size were derived. Experimentally, the thermal decomposition kinetics of nano-sized calcium oxalate (nano-CaC2O4) with different sizes was studied by means of Thermogravimetry Analysis (TGA) at different heating rates. The values of the apparent activation energy and the logarithm of pre-exponential factor were calculated using the equation of Iterative Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (IKAS) and its deformations. The influence regularities of particle size on the apparent activation energy and the pre-exponential factor were summarized, which are consistent with the thermal decomposition kinetics theory of nanoparticles. Based on the theory, the method of obtaining the surface thermodynamic properties by the determination of kinetic parameters was presented. Theoretical and experimental results show that the particle size, through the effect on the surface thermodynamic properties, has notable effect on the thermal decomposition kinetics. With the particle size decreasing, the partial molar surface enthalpy and the partial molar surface entropy increases, leading to the decrease of the apparent activation energy and the pre-exponential factor, respectively. Furthermore, the apparent activation energy, the pre-exponential factor, the partial molar surface enthalpy and the partial molar surface entropy are linearly related to the reciprocal of particle diameter, respectively.