Effects of particle size on the decomposition of ammonium carbonate

Abstract The decomposition of ammonium carbonate having three different particle size distributions has been studied by DSC. The samples consisted of large particles (302 ± 80 μ m), intermediate particles (98 ± 36 μ m) obtained by grinding the larger particles, and small particles (30 ± 10 μ m) obtained by fracturing the large particles with ultrasound. Data from the decomposition of the intermediate particles gave the best fit with a first-order rate law. The bulk of the data for decomposition of the larger particles followed either a D3 or F1 rate law while a D3 rate law fit most of the data from decomposition of the smallest particles.