The thermal decomposition of irradiated nickel oxide

Abstract

The thermal decoomposition of unirradiated and reactor-irradiated dehydrated nickel oxalate has been studied in the temperature range 253-260 degrees. Reaction begins at surface nuclei and there is evidence that the activiation energy for nucleus transformation is less than for the growth process. In those temperature regions where the amount of decomposition due to the growth of existing nuclei overshadows that due to growth of newly formed nuclei, the acceleratory region is described by a t2 law. The value of the fraction of total decomposition (infinity) at the point where the rate is a maximum (the point of inflection) changes drastically with temperature and irradiation. Irradiation appears to increase the number of potential nuclei but does not enhance the growth rate.