Thermal runaway reaction evaluation of benzoyl peroxide using calorimetric approaches

Benzoyl peroxide (BPO) has been used as initiator or medicine in the chemical industries. Several thermal runaway reactions, fires, and explosions have occurred in Taiwan due to its thermal reactivity and explosive properties. A serious accident was analyzed occurring at Fu-Kao Chemical Plant in Taiwan because of runaway reaction in a batch reactor including methyl acrylate (MA), acrylic acid (AA), and BPO. This accident resulted in one death and more than 100 injuries. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry (TG) were used to investigate and calculate the thermal hazard and safety parameter of BPO. Finally, the effects of MA and AA mixed with BPO by DSC/TG were analyzed in this study. The T 0 of BPO was 109 °C in this study. Therefore, the T 0 of BPO/MA was calculated to be 105 °C by DSC. AA and MA were identified as catalyst for thermal decomposition of BPO.