Apparatus for and applications of differential thermal gas analysis

A new apparatus for studying solid-state reactions and physicochemical heat changes involving absorption or evolution of gases has been developed. A sample is heated or cooled at constant rate in a flow of two or more different mixed gases such as He--O2, Ar--H2, etc. The changes in the composition of the gas passing through a reactor are detected by a thermal conductivity detector with high sensitivity. It is applicable to the range from room temperature to 16000C and a gas flow of any mixing ratio (1:200--200:1). The new technique is as useful as DTA and TG in the fields of physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, metallurgy, etc. Applications to a few solid-state reactions (oxidation and reduction of cobalt oxides and formation and decomposition of CaCo3 and UH3) are discussed. (U.S.)