A thermal analysis study of myristic acid

The evaporation of myristic acid [CH3(CH2)12COOH] was investigated using a simultaneous TG–DTA unit over a temperature range of ambient to 300°C, in a flowing atmosphere of nitrogen at heating rates of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15 and 20°C/min. The flow rates were varied from 50 to 350 ml/min. Kinetic plots for zero-order processes were constructed based on the Arrhenius equation and the Freeman and Carroll method. The activation energy for the evaporation process calculated from two methods was reported. The relationship between the rate of mass loss and the vapor pressure for myristic acid was estimated using the Langmuir and Antoine equations.