A thermal analysis study of myristic acid

The evaporation of myristic acid [CH3(CH2)(12)COOH] was investigated using a simultaneous TG-DTA unit over a temperature range of ambient to 300 degre esC, in a Rowing atmosphere of nitrogen at heating rates of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15 and 20 degreesC/min. The Row rates were varied from 50 to 350 ml/min. K inetic plots for zero-order processes were constructed based on the Arrheni us equation and the Freeman and Carroll method. The activation energy for t he evaporation process calculated from two methods was reported. The relati onship between the rate of mass loss and the vapor pressure for myristic ac id was estimated using the Langmuir and Antoine equations. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.