You say 'explode' three times in this post, and once you state that the reason for peroxide plant explosions is the petrol side of things.
Would you elaborate on that? I was under the impression that ordinary peroxide from any source can cause explosions. A quick web search for 'peroxide explosion' seemingly confirms that.
No worries, I will do my best! Yes, peroxide from any source can cause explosions, but usually only at high concentrations in water. At low concentrations (below 8%) metal contaminants, especially precious metals like platinum and palladium, can cause explosions.
During manufacturing, hydrogen peroxide is synthesized at low concentrations in the anthraquinone process (below 8%). However, it is manufactured in a highly explosive alkylated aromatic solvent and in the presence of a palladium catalyst. Both hydrogen and oxygen are used, which when combined will explode quite easily. The current manufacturing process goes to great lengths to keep the hydrogen and oxygen in separate chambers, but inevitably something goes awry. What is a pretty common problem is after liquid-liquid extraction, there is some residual hydrogen peroxide left in the aromatic solvent that makes its way into the hydrogenation chamber. In this scenario, you have hydrogen gas, palladium metal, a flammable solvent...and hydrogen peroxide all in the same vessel...which is a bomb :(
Our process doesn't use metals or a flammable solvent. We replaced them with enzymes and water.
I assume your process creates a relatively dilute aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide? So you'd still need to concentrate it, I assume by distillation? That's a risky process. Will you do that yourself?
Would you elaborate on that? I was under the impression that ordinary peroxide from any source can cause explosions. A quick web search for 'peroxide explosion' seemingly confirms that.
But, I'm no chemist. You tell me, please!