Influence of sample pan on the thermal behaviour of KSCN measured with TG

In this study, the influence of the sample pan on the thermal behaviour of potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) was investigated. The measurements were performed with thermogravimetry (TG) and the two sample pans used were a platinum pan and a ceramic crucible. The samples were heated to 400–950 °C and the thermal products were identified by powder diffraction. The thermal behaviour of KSCN was found to be dependent on the sample pan used. With the platinum sample pan KSCN reacted in the first step into a mixture of K2SO4 and potassium tetracyanoplatinate (K2Pt(CN)4). In the second step, the mixture reacted further to pure K2SO4. In the ceramic sample crucible, however, the reaction in the first step resulted in a mixture of K2SO4 and KOCN. In the second step, the mixture reacted further to pure K2SO4. The results were verified with additional measurements of rubidium thiocyanate (RbSCN) and cesium thiocyanate (CsSCN). The reactions of these compounds proved to be similar to those of KSCN, thereby confirming that the thermal behaviour of the alkali metal thiocyanates mentioned in this study, depends on the sample pan used.