THERMAL-DECOMPOSITION OF SOME ZIRCONYL OXALATES

Zirconyl oxalates of cobalt, cadmium, nickel and copper were prepared and characterized by chemical analysis and X-ray powder diffraction. T heir pyrolysis was investigated using TG, DTG, DTA, mass spectroscopy and infrared techniques. The decomposition, in all cases, takes place in four steps: dehydration, and decomposition of the oxalate groups to give oxycarbonate, carbonate and oxides. The end products are simple oxides, except in the case of cadmium when cadmium zirconate CdZrO3 is obtained. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.