Thermal decomposition of γ-irradiated zinc hydroxy azide

The effect of pre-irradiation by γ-rays (60Co) at varying dosages on subsequent thermal decomposition of differently treated samples of zinc hydroxy azide is reported here. The same kinetic forms as in the case of untreated sample, viz., the unimolecular decay law followed by the contracting cube, fit the α,t data. The rate constants increase only marginally. The effect of increasing dosage from 10 krad to 24 Mrad is very small. The effect of pre-irradiation on decomposition of the aged sample is slightly more pronounced than in the case of the fresh sample. (author)