The thermal decomposition of oxalates. Part VII. The effect of prior dehydration conditions upon the subsequent decomposition of cobalt oxalate

Abstract

Cobalt oxalate dihydrate dehydrated at 150° is porous, and the subsequent isothermal decomposition in a vacuum to cobalt differs considerably from the isothermal decomposition of the anhydrous oxalate prepared at a higher temperature. The characteristic feature of the decomposition of the porous anhydrous cobalt oxalate is the retention of a constant rate of reaction up to the last 10% of the decomposition. A possible explanation of this is offered in terms of a reaction interface advancing simultaneously from interior and exterior surfaces.