A thermogravimetric analyzer for corrosive atmospheres, and its application to the chlorination of ZrO2-C mixtures

A thermogravimetric analyzer built on the basis of a Cahn 2000 electrobalance, suitable for using with corrosive atmospheres, is reported. The corrections for buoyancy and gas-flow effects, which strongly modify the thermogravimetric curves are discussed. As an application, the kinetics of a reaction between chlorine and a mixture of zirconia and carbon has been studied. It has been able to measure the uptake of chlorine by carbon and the reaction rate within the first 50 seconds. Evidence of a transition to quite a different reaction rate at longer times is presented. (Author)