Thermal decomposition of magnesium acetate in nitrogen

Abstract In this paper, the thermal decomposition process of magnesium acetate, Mg (CH 3 COO) 2 ·4H 2 O, in nitrogen atmosphere was studied by thermal analysis methods, and the solid products after thermal decomposition were analyzed by XRD, FE-SEM and EDS. The results show that the thermal decomposition process of magnesium acetate went through four steps: the first step was the dehydration of magnesium acetate to produce anhydrous magnesium acetate; the second step was the conversion of anhydrous magnesium acetate to magnesium oxalate; the third step was magnesium oxalate to magnesium carbonate, and the final step was magnesium carbonate to magnesium oxide.