Dangerous Properties Of Organic Peroxides

The molecular composition of organic peroxides contains peroxy (-O-O -), which is flammable and explosive, easy to decompose, and extremely sensitive to heat, vibration and friction.
The common organic peroxide varieties in the operation of hazardous chemicals are: peracetic acid, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (catalyst M, resin contact agent), benzoyl peroxide, etc.
The dangerous properties of organic peroxides are as follows.
1. oxidizability
Because organic peroxides contain peroxy (-O-O -), they show strong oxidation properties, and most of them can be used as oxidants. Because organic peroxides also contain reductive structures such as carbon-hydrogen bonds, they have all the material conditions for REDOX reactions, so organic peroxides are more dangerous than other oxidants. Such as: benzoyl peroxide, peracetic acid, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, etc., are prone to explosive autoxidation decomposition reaction.
2. Decomposition explosive
The decomposition products of organic peroxides are active free radicals, and the reactions involving free radicals are difficult to be inhibited by conventional inhibition methods. Because many of its decomposition products are gases or volatile substances, coupled with the availability of oxygen, it is prone to explosive decomposition. The more peroxy in organic peroxides, the lower the decomposition temperature and the greater the risk. If the pure diacetyl peroxide is made and stored for 24 hours, a strong explosion may occur; When the water content is less than 1% (mass fraction), the dibenzoyl peroxide can explode with a little friction; Diisopropyl peroxydicarbonate is unstable at 10℃ and explodes when it reaches 17.22℃. Peracetic acid (peracetic acid) pure product is extremely unstable, it will explode at minus 20℃, 40% of the solution can still decompose oxygen during storage, and it will explode when heated to 110℃. It is not difficult to see that organic peroxide is very sensitive to temperature and external force, and its danger and harm are greater than other oxidants.
3. ignitability
Organic peroxides themselves are flammable and burn quickly, quickly transforming into explosive reactions. For example, the flash point of peracetic acid is 40.56℃, the flash point of performic acid is 40℃, the flash point of tert-butanol peroxide is 26.67℃, the flash point of di-tert-butanol peroxide is 18.33℃, and the flash point of di-tert-butyl peroxide is only 12℃.
4. Sensitive to collision or friction
The peroxy group (-O-O -) in organic peroxides is an extremely unstable structure, which is extremely sensitive to heat, vibration, collision, impact or friction, and may decompose and explode when subjected to a slight external force.
5. Dangerous reactions with other substances
Organic peroxides are very sensitive to impurities, and contact with acids, heavy metal compounds, metal oxides or amines will cause violent thermal decomposition, may produce harmful or flammable gases or vapors, some burning quickly and violently, extremely explosive.
6. harmfulness
Organic peroxides are easy to harm the eyes, such as cyclohexanone peroxide, tert-butyl hydrogen peroxide, diacetyl peroxide, etc., even if they are only briefly in contact with the eyes, they will cause serious damage to the cornea, and contact with the eyes should be avoided. Organic oxides are generally corrosive to the skin, and some types are highly toxic.