Kinetics of isothermal decomposition of unirradiated and γ-irradiated zirconium acetylacetonate

In this study, isothermal decomposition of unirradiated and γ-irradiated zirconium acetylacetonate Zr(acac)4 using 103 kGy absorbed γ-ray dose was carried out in static air. The isothermal operating temperatures were selected to be 150, 170, 190 and 210°C. The kinetics of the decomposition were followed using both model-fitting and model-free approaches. The results of the model-fitting approach with regard to the investigated data showed that the decomposition behaviour was best described by a first-order (F1) reaction model. The analysis of the data using the model-free approach signified the dependency of activation energy E a on the extent of conversion (α). Pre-γ-irradiation of zirconium acetylacetonate Zr(acac)4 with 103 kGy absorbed γ-ray dose had no significant effect on the thermal decomposition behaviour of Zr(acac)4. The thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of the decomposition process were calculated and evaluated.