The present work was to determine the optimal nitridation conditions of InN prepared by the nitridation of In2O3 with NH3 gas at 550-600 degrees C for 5-8 h. Thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) coupling technique was used for a simultaneous characterization of the changes of mass and determination of the evolved gases during the thermal decomposition of InN prepared at the different nitridation temperatures. Moreover, pulse thermal analysis (PulseTA) was combined with TG-MS for the quantitative calibration of the evolved nitrogen formed during the thermal decomposition of InN samples. The decomposition of InN under argon atmosphere was found to occur in a single-stage reaction at 550-750 degrees C with indium and N-2 as final product. It was confirmed that the optimal nitridation condition of InN should be at 600 degrees C for 8 h by the nitridation of In2O3 with NH3 gas. The thermal kinetic TG analysis of InN under argon atmosphere was studied at the heating rate of 5, 10, 15, 20 K min(-1). The activation energy (E-a) and the pre-exponential factor (log A) were obtained by means of ASTME698, Friedman and Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (FWO) methods. The most probable conversion function f(alpha) was found. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.