Effect of oxide acidity upon the heats of decomposition of metal oxysalts

A large number of solid-state reactions involve acid/base equilibria of oxides. Among the chemical factors that may influence, determine, or modify such reactions and their rate-determining steps, the relative stabilities of metal oxysalts can be crucial. Thus, simple ways for predicting and/or associating chemical and thermodynamic properties are of considerable interest. A correlation between the differences in acidity of constituent oxides and the heats of decomposition of their corresponding metal oxysalts has been found. In addition, the concept of difference in oxide acidity is successfully correlated with the concept of polarizability, given by the ratio r(1/2)/Z (where r = cation radius, Z* = effective nuclear charge).