Co-precipitation of a mixture of CuO and Cr2O3 through NaNO3-KNO3 eutectic mixture and its catalytic activity

When a mixture of basic copper carbonate and chromium nitrate in 1:1 molar ratio has been heated at about 570 degreesC a mixture of CuO and Cr2O3 is obtained. Further, when basic copper carbonate and chromium nitrate are mixed in 1:1 molar ratio in NaNO3-KNO3 eutectic mixture and heated at approximate to270 degreesC i.e. at a much lower temperature, again a mixture of the same oxides has been obtained. The formation of the oxides is confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction technique. The mixture of CUO and Cr2O3 obtained through the two routes is found to be an effective catalyst for the decomposition of ammonium perchlorate.