Safe storage temperature of peroxide initiators: prediction of self-accelerated decomposition temperature based on a runaway heuristics

Organic peroxides are slightly stable substances that can self-decompose under favourable conditions. During storage there can be a loss of activity if the temperature is above the recommended storage temperature. At higher temperatures this decomposition is self-accelerating. Many peroxides, are extremely shock sensitive or unstable in pure form and are; therefore, only commercially available in diluted solution. In this work, the thermal stability of 44 compounds is evaluated. The method suggested here for predicting the self-accelerating decomposition temperature (SADT) is based on the numerical solution of the equations derived from the mass and energy balances coupled to a heuristics to recognise parameter sets that produce runaway. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.