Temperature and Pressure Characteristics, and the Hazards of Thermal Decomposition of Organic Peroxides

Organic peroxides are widely used substances and are hazardous materials. Pressure vessel testing (PVT) is an important method for evaluating rapid thermal decomposition and the hazards of organic peroxides. However, it is difficult to evaluate volatile organic peroxides using PVT. In this paper, the hazardous material characteristic is that temperature and pressure undergo rapid changes during thermal decomposition. The pressure and temperature behaviors of the peroxide thermal decomposition process are investigated using a mini closed pressure vessel test (MCPVT), and the relationship between MCPVT and PVT is explored. The results showed a good linear relationship between the parameter (dP/dt)Max × (dT/dt)Max ((dP/dt)max is the maximum pressure rise rate and (dT/dt)max is the maximum temperature rise rate) of MCPVT and orifice diameter (D) of PVT. The linear equation is y = 6.576 × 104 × −3.994 × 104 (where y = (dP/dt)Max × (dT/dt)Max, x = D). According to the linear equation, the grade classification of rapid thermal decomposition and hazards of organic peroxides is divided into four levels: “none”, “low”, “medium”, and “violent”. In addition, the volatility and thermal decomposition exothermic properties of organic peroxides were studied by thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), and it has been found that the peroxides di-t-butyl peroxide (DTBP), cumene hydroperoxide (CHP), dicumyl peroxide (DCP), and t-butyl peroxy acetate (TBPA) are volatile. It is important for fuel additives to have appropriate volatility.