Thermodynamic Analysis and Pyrolysis Mechanism of 4,4′-Azobis-1,2,4-triazole

[Image: see text] The nonisothermal thermal decomposition kinetics of 4,4′-azobis-1,2,4-triazole (ATRZ) at different heating rates (5, 10, 15, and 20 °C·min(–1)) were investigated by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies. The thermal decomposition kinetic parameters such as apparent activation energy (E) and pre-exponential factor (A) were calculated by the Kissinger, Ozawa, and Šatava-Šestak methods. The E and A values calculated by the above three methods are very close, which are 391.1 kJ·mol(–1)/1034.92 s(–1), 381.1 kJ·mol(–1)/1034.30 s(–1), and 393.4 kJ·mol(–1)/1035.76 s(–1), respectively. Then, the decomposition mechanism function of ATRZ is analyzed by the calculated results. The results show that the decomposition temperature of ATRZ is about 300 °C and the exothermic decomposition speed is fast. The decomposition pathway of ATRZ was analyzed by pyrolysis-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (PY-GC-MS). The thermal decomposition kinetic equation of the ATRZ was deduced.