diff --git a/src/thermo/FixedChemPotSSTP.cpp b/src/thermo/FixedChemPotSSTP.cpp
index 6eed3f985..01408e51c 100644
--- a/src/thermo/FixedChemPotSSTP.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/FixedChemPotSSTP.cpp
@@ -98,11 +98,11 @@ FixedChemPotSSTP::FixedChemPotSSTP(const std::string& Ename, doublereal val) :
     setChemicalPotential(val);
 
     // Create an XML_Node entry for this species
-    XML_Node* s = new XML_Node("species", 0);
-    s->addAttribute("name", pname);
+    XML_Node s("species", 0);
+    s.addAttribute("name", pname);
     std::string aaS = Ename + ":1";
-    s->addChild("atomArray", aaS);
-    XML_Node& tt = s->addChild("thermo");
+    s.addChild("atomArray", aaS);
+    XML_Node& tt = s.addChild("thermo");
     XML_Node& ss = tt.addChild("Simple");
     ss.addAttribute("Pref", "1 bar");
     ss.addAttribute("Tmax", "5000.");
@@ -112,9 +112,7 @@ FixedChemPotSSTP::FixedChemPotSSTP(const std::string& Ename, doublereal val) :
     std::string sval = fp2str(val);
     ss.addChild("h", sval);
     ss.addChild("s", "0.0");
-    saveSpeciesData(0, s);
-    delete s;
-    s = 0;
+    saveSpeciesData(0, &s);
 }
 
 FixedChemPotSSTP::FixedChemPotSSTP(const FixedChemPotSSTP&  right)
diff --git a/src/thermo/HMWSoln_input.cpp b/src/thermo/HMWSoln_input.cpp
index 4381559a5..a0eede497 100644
--- a/src/thermo/HMWSoln_input.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/HMWSoln_input.cpp
@@ -979,10 +979,9 @@ void HMWSoln::constructPhaseFile(std::string inputFile, std::string id_)
      * The phase object automatically constructs an XML object.
      * Use this object to store information.
      */
-    XML_Node* fxml = new XML_Node();
-    fxml->build(fin);
-    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(fxml, id_);
-     
+    XML_Node fxml;
+    fxml.build(fin);
+    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id_);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("HMWSoln:constructPhaseFile",
                            "ERROR: Can not find phase named " +
@@ -990,7 +989,6 @@ void HMWSoln::constructPhaseFile(std::string inputFile, std::string id_)
     }
     setXMLdata(*fxml_phase);
     constructPhaseXML(*fxml_phase, id_);
-    delete fxml;
 }
 
 void HMWSoln::constructPhaseXML(XML_Node& phaseNode, std::string id_)
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp
index 09af9678a..e23f8e020 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp
@@ -110,9 +110,9 @@ void PDSS_ConstVol::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
      * Use this object to store information.
      */
 
-    XML_Node* fxml = new XML_Node();
-    fxml->build(fin);
-    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(fxml, id);
+    XML_Node fxml;
+    fxml.build(fin);
+    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_ConstVol::initThermo",
                            "ERROR: Can not find phase named " +
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ void PDSS_ConstVol::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
     const XML_Node* s =  speciesDB->findByAttr("name", tp->speciesName(spindex));
 
     constructPDSSXML(tp, spindex, *s, *fxml_phase, true);
-    delete fxml;
 }
 
 void PDSS_ConstVol::initThermoXML(const XML_Node& phaseNode, const std::string& id)
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp
index a48a95ede..0ad33579a 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp
@@ -709,9 +709,9 @@ void PDSS_HKFT::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
      * Use this object to store information.
      */
 
-    XML_Node* fxml = new XML_Node();
-    fxml->build(fin);
-    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(fxml, id);
+    XML_Node fxml;
+    fxml.build(fin);
+    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_HKFT::initThermo",
                            "ERROR: Can not find phase named " +
@@ -724,7 +724,6 @@ void PDSS_HKFT::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
     const XML_Node* s =  speciesDB->findByAttr("name", tp->speciesName(spindex));
 
     constructPDSSXML(tp, spindex, *s, *fxml_phase, true);
-    delete fxml;
 }
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_MODE
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp
index d70897b01..b0e999f2d 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp
@@ -91,16 +91,15 @@ void PDSS_IdealGas::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
      * Use this object to store information.
      */
 
-    XML_Node* fxml = new XML_Node();
-    fxml->build(fin);
-    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(fxml, id);
+    XML_Node fxml;
+    fxml.build(fin);
+    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_IdealGas::constructPDSSFile",
                            "ERROR: Can not find phase named " +
                            id + " in file named " + inputFile);
     }
     constructPDSSXML(tp, spindex, *fxml_phase, id);
-    delete fxml;
 }
 
 void PDSS_IdealGas::initThermo()
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_IonsFromNeutral.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_IonsFromNeutral.cpp
index f4c9bf244..b06e770a2 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_IonsFromNeutral.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_IonsFromNeutral.cpp
@@ -181,9 +181,9 @@ void PDSS_IonsFromNeutral::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spind
      * Use this object to store information.
      */
 
-    XML_Node* fxml = new XML_Node();
-    fxml->build(fin);
-    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(fxml, id);
+    XML_Node fxml;
+    fxml.build(fin);
+    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_IonsFromNeutral::constructPDSSFile",
                            "ERROR: Can not find phase named " +
@@ -196,7 +196,6 @@ void PDSS_IonsFromNeutral::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spind
     const XML_Node* s = speciesDB->findByAttr("name", tp->speciesName(spindex));
 
     constructPDSSXML(tp, spindex, *s, *fxml_phase, id);
-    delete fxml;
 }
 
 void PDSS_IonsFromNeutral::initThermo()
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_SSVol.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_SSVol.cpp
index de3de73c7..1657f140d 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_SSVol.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_SSVol.cpp
@@ -139,9 +139,9 @@ void PDSS_SSVol::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
      * Use this object to store information.
      */
 
-    XML_Node* fxml = new XML_Node();
-    fxml->build(fin);
-    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(fxml, id);
+    XML_Node fxml;
+    fxml.build(fin);
+    XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_SSVol::initThermo",
                            "ERROR: Can not find phase named " +
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ void PDSS_SSVol::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
     const XML_Node* s = speciesDB->findByAttr("name", tp->speciesName(spindex));
 
     constructPDSSXML(tp, spindex, *s, *fxml_phase, true);
-    delete fxml;
 }
 
 void PDSS_SSVol::initThermoXML(const XML_Node& phaseNode, const std::string& id)