Ammonium iodate, decomposition

They found that the decomposition of ammonium, iodate starts at 140°C. The reaction yielded a solid reaction product which according... 

Explosion of ammonium iodate took place at a temperature of 185°C, ie, very much higher than for the other halates (81°C for NH BrOa 90° for NH4CIO3). The explosion was preceded by a readily measurable and gradually accelerating decomposition. Contrary to the two other halates, self-heating was not observed before the explosion. The explosion was accompanied by a violet colored flash and produced a temperature increase of ouly l0°C in the reaction zone. The activation energy of the process leading to explosion was 38.4 kcal... 

It was found impossible to measure the rate of decomposition by the evolution of gases because the release of these gas bubbles is very slow and erratic. The course of the reaction was followed by analyzing samples for the ammonium ion. Small amounts of the decomposing amalgam were forced through a capillary tube into a chilled solution of an iodate. The ammonium reacted with iodate ion to give iodide ion. The solution was then acidified with acetic acid and the iodine distilled out, collected and titrated with sodium thiosulfate. The method was checked with samples... 

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