Kinetics of the Thermal Decomposition of Solid PETN

摘要

The thermal decomposition of PETN below its melting point has been investigated. Separate monitoring of six product gases allowed individual initial rates of reaction and activation energies to be calculated. The activation energies for the production of both N sub 2 O and H sub 2 O are between 50 and 56 kcal.mol exp -1 , pointing to a single process operant over the entire temperature range 363 to 408 K. The other four observed products have activation energies that are significantly higher. The activation energies for CO exp 2 and N sub 2 formation are 65 to 66 kcal.mol exp -1 while those for the production of CO and (NO + NO sub 2 ) are 71 to 75 kcal.mol exp -1 . Whether these values represent two or only one additional mechanism is not clear, however, for the 2sigma width uncertainty limits overlap. Thr processes or process involved in the formation of C0 sub 2 , N sub 2 , CO, and (NO + NO sub 2 ) appear(s) to change at 373 K, as a dramatic drop in activation energies is observed at lower temperatures. (ERA citation 07:051400)