ROLE OF RARE-EARTH (RE) SEMICONDUCTORS ON THE DECOMPOSITION OF BARIUM BROMATE

Barium bromate decomposes in the solid state through various stages: (i) initial gas evolution, (ii) induction period, (iii) slow linear reaction, (iv) acceleratory and decay stages. Rare earth semiconductors (p-type), Gd2O3 and DY3O3 facilitate the acceleratory and decay stages without affecting the induction and linear periods. The extent of decomposition is higher in the case of mixture than that of the pure salt. The data are discussed in the light of theories of Prout-Tompkins and Avarami-Erofeev mechanisms exploring that nucleation occurs in a chain branching manner and there is two dimensional growth of nuclei.