Kinetic analysis of reduction of MoO3 to MoO2

Two kinetic models have been proposed as alternative representations of reaction mechanism for the reduction of MoO3 to MoO2. An analytical solution of one of them as well as stochastic simulations of both models yielded results that could be compared to a set of very precise kinetic curves obtained experimentally using neutron diffraction in situ followed by multiphase Rietveld refinement of the resulting diffraction patterns. By a short margin, the results obtained from the model called the autocatalytic comproportionation seem to explain the experimental data better than the other model called the competitive nucleation. Implications as well as further applicability of the models are also discussed.