After non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction experiments are carried out, the reaction kinetics of Al-Fe2O3 system is analyzed by a model-free Starink method. In our study, activation energy was determined as 145 kJ/mol for 8Al-3Fe(2)O(3) thermite reaction, the value is comparable to the activation energy for diffusion of Al in FeAl2O4 and is less than the activation energy for diffusion of Al in Fe3Al, suggesting that the diffusion of Al into FeAl2O4 controls the product of the thermite reaction. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.