Application of direct nonlinear regression from single TG curve to compounds undergoing simple and complex thermal decompositions

Nonlinear regression of the basic kinetic equation was used to determine kinetic parameters of simple and complex decomposition processes related to some pesticides and pharmaceutical substances. The method for this calculation was carried out using a single TG curve. These values were compared with those obtained with model-fitting and model-free methods. Nonlinear regression method is able to define a single mechanism for compounds undergoing one or few steps of decomposition processes. For compounds that undergo many steps of decomposition processes, only the mechanisms of some of them can be hypothesized. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.