A re-investigation of the thermal decomposition of ammonium paratungstate

The thermal decomposition of monoclinic ammonium paratungstate (APT) and amorphous ammonium metatungstate (AMT) has been studied over the temperature range 20 to 500° C using thermogravimetry, evolved gas analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, differential thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy. A mechanism of decomposition which postulates the formation and subsequent decomposition of various lower ratio tungstates is proposed and substantiated by the experimental data.