Autocatalytic Decomposition of Cumene Hydroperoxide at Low Temperature Conditions

Cumene Hydroperoxide (CHP) has been used in the production of Dicumyl Hydroperoxide (DCPO) and phenol. In Taiwan, several severe fire or explosion incidents have occurred due to its thermal instability or reactivity. In this research, the exothermic decomposition of CHP in Cumene was characterized by isothermal microcalorimeter, TAM (thermal activity monitor), because isothermal testing offers the advantage of thermal equilibrium within the reactant, which can generate more precise kinetics, such as heat of decomposition, heat flow and time of reaction. In this study, there was a novel finding from the thermogram that CHP processed an autocatalytic phenomenon during decomposition between 75 to 90 , which was compared with the open literature that uses less sensitive calorimeters, showing a reaction onset temperature of 100 for 80 wt% CHP. In conclusion, attention should be given to low temperature conditions, which may invoke slow process thermal accumulation. Therefore, the operators of chemical plants should cautiously notice the phenomenon.