Contribution to the study of the solid-state reaction of mercury with purerhodium

Thermogravimetry (TG) and other analysis techniques (EDX, SEM, Mapping surf ace, X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled argon plasma emission spectrosc opy and atomic spectrometry with cold vapor generation) were used to study the reaction of Hg with Rh. The results permitted the suggestion that, when subjected to heat, an electrodeposited Hg film reacts with Rh to form inte rmetallic products with different stabilities, as indicated by at least thr ee mass loss steps. In the first step, between room temperature and 160 deg rees C, only the bulk Hg is removed. From this temperature up to about 175 degrees C, the mass loss can be attributed to the desorption of a film of m etallic Hg. The last step, from 175 to 240 degrees C, can be ascribed to th e removal of Hg from a thin dark film of RhHg2.