Abstract: Zirconium 3-nitrophthalate (Zr(3-NO2-PHT)2·2H2O) was synthesized using 3-nitrophthalic acid, sodium hydroxide, and zirconyl nitrate as raw materials. Its structure was determined by elemental analysis, X-ray fluorescence and FT-IR spectra. The thermal decomposition mechanism and kinetic parameters of the decomposition reaction for Zr(3-NO2-PHT)2·2H2O were investigated by temperature-programmed TG-DTG and condensed-phase thermolysis/FT-IR techniques. A kinetic equation for the decomposition reaction was obtained. The results showed that Zr(3-NO2-PHT)2·2H2O underwent a four-stage decomposition process and that the main decomposition reaction occurred during the second process. The apparent activation energy (Ea) and pre-exponential factor (A) of the main decomposition reaction are 158.84 kJ·mol-1 and 109.85 s-1, respectively. The kinetic equation can thus be expressed as: dα/dt=10^9.85(1-α)e^-1.91×10⁴/T.

Key words: Zr(3-NO2-PHT)2·2H2O, Thermal decomposition mechanism, Nonisothermal reaction kinetics