Abstract
Isothermal decomposition of un-irradiated and pre-gamma-irradiated samarium acetate has been investigated at different temperatures between 613 and 633 K. Irradiation was observed to enhance the rate of decomposition without modifying the mechanism of thermal decomposition. Thermal decomposition of samarium acetate has been shown to proceed by two-dimensional phase-boundary reaction both for un-irradiated and pre-gamma-irradiated samples. The enhancement of the decomposition was found to increase with an increase in the gamma-ray dose applied to the sample and may be attributed to an increase in point defects and formation of additional nucleation centers generated in the host lattice. Thermodynamic values of the main decomposition process were calculated and evaluated. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.