Fired-clay ceramics gain mass with time as a result of rehydroxylation (RHX) of the dehydroxylated structures of clay minerals. The mass gain is usually described using the time to the quarter (TTTQ) model, which is fundamental to the archeometric dating technique called RHX dating. In RHX dating practice, experimental mass gain fits can be improved by adding a time-offset correction (t₀), apparently corresponding to changes in diffusional parameters.

Using theoretical mass gain data generated by diffusional, geometric contraction, and reaction-order kinetic models, we showed that TTTQ model can successfully fit data produced by any deceleratory kinetic model, especially if the t₀ is applied. The quality of the fits and linearity of Arrhenius plots of theoretical data likely would cause misidentification of the reaction model in favor of TTTQ model in RHX dating practice. The model misidentification results in incorrect values of activation energy (E_a) despite ideal mass gain fits and linearity of Arrhenius plots. In this paper we question the validity of t₀ and propose a calculation of correct E_a from any RHX mass gain data using a model-independent approach.

由于粘土矿物的脱羟基结构的再羟基化（RHX），烧制的粘土陶瓷会随着时间而增加质量。通常使用四分之一时间（TTTQ）模型来描述质量增益，这是称为RHX约会的考古学约会技术的基础。在RHX测年实践中，可以通过添加时间偏移校正（t ₀）来改善实验质量增益拟合，该时间偏移校正显然对应于扩散参数的变化。

使用由扩散，几何收缩和反应阶动力学模型生成的理论质量增益数据，我们表明TTTQ模型可以成功拟合由任何减速动力学模型生成的数据，尤其是在应用t ₀的情况下。在RHX约会实践中，理论数据的Arrhenius图的拟合质量和线性可能会导致反应模型的错误识别，而有利于TTTQ模型。尽管理想的质量增益拟合和Arrhenius图的线性，模型的错误识别都会导致激活能量（E _a）的值不正确。在本文中，我们质疑t ₀的有效性，并提出使用模型无关方法从任何RHX质量增益数据计算正确的E _a的方法。