This study characterizes the chemical kinetics for the reduction and elimination of char particles using air and pure oxygen as the oxidants. Commercial carbon black was used as char for the experimental studies reported here. Different oxidant injection flow rates have been examined at various injection temperatures between 400 and 700 degrees C under atmospheric pressure conditions to obtain the intrinsic kinetic parameters. The char conversion rates have been measured in a laminar flow hot stream using 0.2 g and 0.3 g mass of initial char samples. The kinetic parameters are obtained by fitting the available experimental data into the derived one-film model. The proposed one-film model is compared and analyzed for consistency and reliability for the calculated intrinsic kinetic parameters. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.