Abstract
The dehydration behaviors of two different hydrated zinc borate species, Zn[B3O3(OH)5] · H2O and Zn[B3O4(OH)3], which are industrially important flame retardants, were studied by thermal gravimetric(TG) analysis and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy. Dehydration onset temperatures of Zn[B3O3(OH)5] · H2O and Zn[B3O4(OH)3] were 129 and 320°C, respectively, at a 10°C/min ramp rate. A very small amount of boric acid was volatilized in addition to water vapor when both samples were heated at 250°C. A significant amount of water vapor was adsorbed by Zn[B3O3(OH)5] · H2O from air at 25°C. However, Zn[B3O4(OH)3] adsorbed a very small amount of water under the same conditions. Both zinc borates did not have a tendency to cake during storage.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This study was supported by TÜBİTAK project number 105M358. The authors thank Dr. Allahverdiev for his contribution to the experimental study.
Notes
Present address for Mehmet Gönen: Süleyman Demirel University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Batı Yerleşkesi, Isparta 32260, Turkey.
Present affiliation for Sevdiye Atakul Savrık: AKZO-NOBEL, Izmir, Turkey.