Thermochemistry of the decomposition of some cobalt compounds

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine the molar enthalpies of dehydration and decomposition of CoC2O4. 2H(2)O, Co(HCOO)(2). 2H(2)O and [Co(NH3)(6)](2)(C2O4)(3). 4H(2)O. The first stage of dissociation of each compound is a single-step dehydration both in air and argon atmospheres. The next stages are decomposition processes influenced by experimental parameters. The enthalpies of dehydration and decomposition vary from compound to compound in each atmosphere. The obtained data have been related to the macromechanisms proposed for the thermal decomposition and the parallel-consecutive decomposition-oxidation processes.