THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL STUDIES ON SOME METAL ALGINATE COMPOUNDS

The thermal decomposition of Ag-alg, Se-alg4 and UO2-alg2 compounds ha s been studied using thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analy sis (DTA) and electrical conductivity measurements. The original sampl es are characterized by FTIR spectra. The results obtained reveal that the decomposition of these compounds proceeds via the formation of me tal oxalates as intermediate fragments. The electrical conductance of these compounds at low temperature indicates that their geometric stru ctures are non-planar and possess electrical conductivity values which lie in the range of semiconductors. Moreover, the remarkable increase in the conductance values during the decomposition of the intermediat e metal oxalates is attributed to the hopping mechanism between the di fferent valencies which exist during their thermolysis. Finally, detai led mechanisms of the various decomposition stages of the metal algina te compounds are suggested.