THERMAL-ANALYSIS USING X-RAY-DIFFRACTOMETRY FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE SOLID-STATE REACTION OF AMMONIUM-NITRATE AND COPPER-OXIDE

The crystallographic and kinetic aspects of the solid state reaction o f ammonium nitrate and copper oxide were studied by in situ time- and temperature-resolved X-ray diffractometry. The reaction proceeds throu gh an intermediate stage in the form of a solid solution of diammineco pper(II) complex in the ammonium nitrate lattice, subsequently resulti ng in the formation of diamminecopper(II) dinitrate. The kinetic profi les of the reaction were fitted by a nucleation and growth model. The rate of the reaction was found to increase as the dopant concentration decreased. The reaction takes place with an expansion of the tetragon al lattice of the ammonium nitrate along the base, resulting in a plau sible pseudo tetragonal-like structure.