Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) is an

organic peroxide In organic chemistry, organic peroxides are organic compounds containing the peroxide functional group (). If the R′ is hydrogen, the compounds are called hydroperoxides, which are discussed in that article. The O−O bond of peroxides easily b ...

with the formula CH₃)(C₂H₅)C(O₂H)sub>2O₂. MEKP is a colorless oily liquid. It is widely used in

vulcanization Vulcanization (British English: vulcanisation) is a range of processes for hardening rubbers. The term originally referred exclusively to the treatment of natural rubber with sulfur, which remains the most common practice. It has also grown to ...

(crosslinking) of polymers. It is derived from the reaction of

methyl ethyl ketone Butanone, also known as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) or ethyl methyl ketone, is an organic compound with the formula CH3C(O)CH2CH3. This colorless liquid ketone has a sharp, sweet odor reminiscent of acetone. It is produced industrially on a large s ...

and

hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with the formula . In its pure form, it is a very pale blue liquid that is slightly more viscosity, viscous than Properties of water, water. It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic, usua ...

under acidic conditions. Several products result from this reaction including a cyclic dimer. The linear dimer, the topic of this article, is the most prevalent. and this is the form that is typically quoted in the commercially available material.

Solution Solution may refer to: * Solution (chemistry), a mixture where one substance is dissolved in another * Solution (equation), in mathematics ** Numerical solution, in numerical analysis, approximate solutions within specified error bounds * Solu ...

s of 30 to 40% MEKP are used in industry and by hobbyists as

catalyst Catalysis () is the increase in rate of a chemical reaction due to an added substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed by the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recycles quick ...

to initiate the crosslinking of unsaturated polyester resins used in

fiberglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) is a common type of fibre-reinforced plastic, fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened i ...

, and casting. For this application, MEKP often is dissolved in a phlegmatizer such as dimethyl phthalate, cyclohexane peroxide, or to reduce sensitivity to shock.

Benzoyl peroxide Benzoyl peroxide is a chemical compound (specifically, an organic peroxide) with structural formula , often abbreviated as (BzO)2. In terms of its structure, the molecule can be described as two benzoyl (, Bz) groups connected by a peroxide ...

can be used for the same purpose.

Safety

Whereas

acetone peroxide Acetone peroxide ( also called APEX and mother of Satan) is an organic peroxide and a primary explosive. It is produced by the reaction of acetone and hydrogen peroxide to yield a mixture of linear monomer and cyclic dimer, trimer, and tet ...

is a white powder at

STP STP may refer to: Places * São Tomé and Príncipe (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code, IOC country code, and FIFA country code STP) * St Pancras railway station (National Rail code STP) * St. Paul Downtown Airport (IATA airport code STP) in Saint Paul, Mi ...

, MEKP is slightly less sensitive to shock and temperature, and more stable in storage. MEKP is a severe skin irritant and can cause progressive corrosive damage or blindness. The volatile decomposition products of MEKP can contribute to the formation of vapor-phase explosions. Ensuring safe storage is important, and the maximum storage temperature should be limited to below 30 °C.

Notes

External links

*
CDC - NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical HazardsThe Register: Mass murder in the skies: was the plot feasible?
* ttp://www.freeinfosociety.com/site.php?postnum=365 The Free Information Society: HMTD Synthesis{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194341/http://www.freeinfosociety.com/site.php?postnum=365 , date=3 March 2016
How MEKP cures Unsaturated Polyester Resin (video animation)
Liquid explosives Ketals Organic peroxides Radical initiators Organic peroxide explosives