Synthesis, crystal structure and thermal decomposition kinetics of yttrium propionate

•The molecular structure of yttrium precursor was determined by X-ray diffraction on single crystals.•Molecular structure consists of a bimetallic complex.•The thermal decomposition was studied using the thermal analyses correlated with quadrupole mass spectrometer.

Yttrium propionate, Y2(CH3CH2COO)6·xH2O, has been used as a precursor in the preparation of Y2O3 and YBa2Cu3O7−x thin films. The molecular structure of this precursor was determined by X-ray diffraction on single crystals, in good agreement with the formula calculated from the thermogravimetric analysis data. The molecular structure consists of a bimetallic complex with two Y atoms linked by two propionate groups in a bridging bimetallic tridentate fashion, and each metal bearing an extra two monometallic bidentate propionate ligands. The thermal decomposition was studied using the thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis and mass spectrometry (TG–DTA–MS), in inert atmosphere. The influence of the different heating rates, such as 5, 7.5, 10, 15 and 20 °C/min on the thermal behaviour of yttrium propionate was investigated. The X-ray diffraction pattern on the precursor powder heat treated under nitrogen has shown that the final decomposition product of [Y2(CH3CH2COO)6·4H2O]·H2O is Y2O3. The activation energy, as a kinetic parameter, was determined by using both Kissinger and Friedman methods for the decomposition process.