Using thermal analysis and kinetic calculation method to assess the thermal stability of 2,2′-azobis-(2-methylbutyronitrile)

Abstract

Azo compounds used in catalytic reactions often exhibit self-reactivity and high exothermicity. Severe fires and explosions can occur if the stage of change in the reaction (e.g., in an endothermic process or cooling system) is weaker than in a fractional heat release process. To guarantee the thermal safety of azo initiator in the production process, azobisdimethylvaleronitrile (ABVN), a normally applied azo in polymerization, was selected for the study. The basic thermal hazards of ABVN were obtained by simulating the exothermic curves of ABVN with differential scanning calorimetry technique, and the self-accelerating decomposition temperature (SADT) was calculated by combining the kinetics of the reaction. Analyzing the impact of different packaging conditions on SADT, values were verified with simulation methods performed with the packaging of 25.0 kg and 50.0 kg of ABVN. The results showed that the SADT was lower than 50 °C. Therefore, it is essential to establish a style of computing that can more rapidly determine the value of SADT, avoiding time-consuming and costly large-scale experiments.