Comparative studies on physicochemical properties of cadmium and neodymium soaps in solid-state

Abstract The physicochemical properties of cadmium and neodymium soaps (caprylate) have been studied by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermal analyses in the solid state. The infrared analysis indicates that the fatty acid is present in a dimeric form due to interactions facilitated by hydrogen bonding. Additionally, it suggests that the soaps have properties of a partially ionic nature. The X-ray diffraction data were used to determine the long spacing, confirming the double-layered configuration of the cadmium and neodymium soaps. It was observed that the decomposition reaction proceeds with zero order kinetics, indicating a constant reaction rate regardless of changes in concentration. Furthermore, the activation energy for this process was determined to be 0.401 kJ mol −1 and 0.226 kJ mol −1 , respectively A comparative evaluation of the different analytical methods is provided, highlighting the distinct advantages of each method, at the same time delineating the limitations identified through careful study of reference materials and their practical application in sample analysis contexts.