Evaluation of the Effect of Temperature on the Stability of Metal Soaps of Trichosanthes cucumerina seed oil

The thermal behaviour of metal soaps of Trichosanthes cucumerina seed oil at 433, 453 and 473K was investigated and the thermodynamic parameters of the decomposition process determined. The kinetics of the decomposition was studied thermogravimetrically at various temperatures. The rates of the first stage decomposition were used to assess the effect of temperature on the susceptibility of metal soaps of Trichosanthes cucumerina seed oil. The values of rate constant are of the order 10^-2min^-1 and temperature-dependent. The enthalpy, ∆H^ǂ (8.8 - 25.0 kJmol^-1); entropy, - ∆S^ǂ (0.26 - 0.299 kJmol^-1K^-1) and free energy of activation, ∆G^ǂ (147.9 - 150.1 kJmol^-1) for the decomposition of the metal soaps were determined. The thermodynamic values obtained showed that the system is endothermic and that the reaction process is a non-spontaneous one.