[PSUBS-MAILIST] Hydrogen Peroxide

["Gary R. Boucher" <protek@shreve.net>]

     I did some checking on H2O2 for another application several years 
ago.  After reading a good bit of literature on the compound I was not 
encouraged to follow that path.  First the liquid is nothing like you think 
of the HP that comes in the 4% solution that you buy at the drug store.  To 
get the higher energy yields you would have to have you need 80+ percent 
solution.  The nearly 100% solution is somewhat bluish in color and has a 
fairly high viscosity.  This commercial strength H2O2 is highly corrosive 
to almost all metals and is usually contained in glass lined vessels.  The 
liquid is highly exothermic when it give up its O2 yielding water and 
O2.  The water is in the form of steam.
     Now here's the problem;  If the fluid comes in contact with anything 
that will start the disassociation process, the resulting heat and gas 
release can start a chain reaction causing the entire container full of 
H2O2 to explode releasing all its energy at once.  This can ruin your whole 
day.  Once in the Chemistry-Physics Department where I work a bottle of 
peroxide was left out on a table when overnight it exploded with a great 
deal of force.  No, I didn't leave it out.  Peroxides can be highly 
explosive in strong concentrations.
     When all is said and done, golf cart batteries still work well.

Gary Boucher