The stability of benzoyl peroxide by isothermal microcalorimetry

Isothermal microcalorimetry may be used to determine kinetic and thermodyna mic parameters for chemical reactions. This paper reports rate constants, d etermined as a function of temperature, and the activation enthalpy for the degradation of solid benzoyl peroxide as determined by isothermal microcal orimetry. Studies were conducted on aqueous suspension phase, solid benzoyl peroxide. In addition, supporting evidence is cited from work carried out in this laboratory on the solution phase degradation of benzoyl peroxide us ing UV-visible spectrophotometry. The activation energy obtained by microca lorimetry was E-a = 137.8 +/- 6.6 kJ mol(-1) and the activation energy obta ined from UV-visible spectrophotometry was E-a = 112.7 +/- 4.2 kJ mol(-1). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. AH rights reserved.