Thermal hazard studies for dicumyl peroxide by DSC and TAM

A differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal activity monitor (TAM) were used to study the thermo-kinetic parameters for dicumyl peroxide (DCPO) at various concentrations. The potential thermal hazards of intermediates and end products whose concentrations were at approximately 50, 70, 94 and 99.3 mass%, respectively, in the process of operating DCPO were investigated. Thermoanalytical curves indicate that the average heat of decomposition of various DCPO samples in a manufacturing process was 762 to 1200 J g(-1) which made it an inherently hazardous material. In the incompatibilities study, significant thermal hazards appeared in the presence of H2SO4. From the TAM experiments, the synthetic process of DCPO could result in an unexpected reaction in the condition of batch addition with reactants and H2SO4.