Comparative results of kinetic data obtained with different methods for complex decomposition steps

A comparative kinetic analysis on the thermal decomposition of tartaric acid and potassium tartrate under non-isothermal conditions was performed. The non-isothermal kinetic parameters were determined by the following four methods: integral isoconversional method suggested by Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO method); differential isoconversional method suggested by Friedman; Budrugeac-Segal method and Non-Parametric-Kinetic (NKP) method suggested by Sempere and Nomen and modified by Vlase and Doca. The comparison of the results obtaining by these methods leads to interesting conclusions. The experimental data were obtained in dynamic nitrogen atmosphere at heating rates of 5, 7, 10, 12 and 15 K min(-1). The less speculative kinetic analysis was possible by the NPK method.