Thermal Decomposition of Copper Oxalate and Potassium Oxalatocuprate: Operando XPS Study
摘要
The thermal decomposition of copper(II) oxalate CuC2O4⋅0.5H2O and potassium oxalatocuprate(II) K2Cu(C2O4)2⋅2H2O in vacuum at a residual pressure of 10–5 Torr has been studied in the range from room temperature to 400°C with operando recording the X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and Auger spectra. An X-ray photoelectron spectrometer with a magnetic energy analyzer was used. An analysis of the XP and Auger spectroscopy data shows that the thermal decomposition of CuC2O4⋅0.5H2O includes the following stages: elimination of crystallization water (150–265°C); elimination of CO2 (265–285°C), forming an unstable intermediate product; and decomposition of the latter at 285°C, forming a residue of metallic copper with an admixture of 11–13 mol % copper(I) oxide. The thermal decomposition of K2Cu(C2O4)2⋅2H2O includes the stages of elimination of crystallization water (85–120°C) and decomposition of the resulting anhydrous oxalate with elimination of CO2 and CO (250–290°C).