Thermochemistry of the decomposition of some cobalt compounds

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine the molar ent halpies of dehydration and decomposition of CoC2O4. 2H(2)O, Co(HCOO)(2). 2H (2)O and [Co(NH3)(6)](2)(C2O4)(3). 4H(2)O. The first stage of dissociation of each compound is a single-step dehydration both in air and argon atmosph eres. The next stages are decomposition processes influenced by experimenta l parameters. The enthalpies of dehydration and decomposition vary from com pound to compound in each atmosphere. The obtained data have been related t o the macromechanisms proposed for the thermal decomposition and the parall el-consecutive decomposition-oxidation processes.