Simultaneous characterizing study of the metallic iron—organic coordination compounds by TG–DSC–MS coupling techniques

In this work, thermogravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry–mass spectrometry (TG–DSC–MS) coupling techniques were used to make a simultaneous characterizing study for the metallic iron-organic coordination compounds formed by iron ions and organic solvent glycol during the sol–gel process of preparing the iron oxide nanometer films. The positive ion mass spectra [Fe(OCH2CH3)3]+(mass to charge (m/z)=191) and [Fe(OCH2CH2OH)3]+(m/z=239) of the organic iron coordination compounds were obtained by experimental methods for the first time. Through the comparison analysis with the results of the TG–DSC–MS for the glycol, it can be found that the thermal decomposition temperature for the metallic iron-organic coordination compounds formed with glycol is higher than that of pure glycol. The results in this research work show that the simultaneous TG–DSC–MS coupling techniques can be applied to characterize some of the metallic-organic coordination compounds appeared in the gas state at lower temperature.