Grantee Research Project Results

Hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) is an effective and well-studied decontaminant for vehicles or buildings contaminated by hazardous chemical or biological materials. Unfortunately, the current technology for generating HPV requires 35 wt.% hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as a precursor, which is dangerous and cumbersome to transport and is classified by the Department of Transportation (DOT) as both a Class 5.1 Hazard (oxidizer) and a Class 8 Hazard (corrosive). While 35 wt.% hydrogen peroxide is normally stable, if the temperature becomes elevated or if the container becomes contaminated, it can quickly decompose, releasing large amounts of oxygen.

TDA Research, Inc., (TDA) is developing a compact, portable system that will generate liquid H₂O₂ onsite, eliminating all the problems related to its transport and storage. TDA’s portable system will require only water, air and electricity (resources that are readily available at any application site) and will not generate any hazardous byproducts that are difficult to dispose of. This system will enable onsite generation of H₂O₂ that can be used to decontaminate the interiors of vehicles and buildings. H₂O₂ is useful in many applications beyond decontamination; it is a strong, nonpolluting oxidizing agent, with broad applications in pulp/paper bleaching, water/waste and effluent treatment, chemical synthesis, textile bleaching, mining/metallurgy, electronics (semiconductors), and propulsion, and also is finding increased use in keeping hospital interiors safe. The system and the materials developed in this work therefore also will provide cost-effective H₂O₂ to the U.S. chemical and manufacturing industries.

In this project, TDA demonstrated the technical feasibility of using nanocatalysts in a microreactor for the direct synthesis of H₂O₂. The catalysts developed in Phase II showed a very high activity and selectivity. TDA also built and tested a prototype microreactor unit for H₂O₂ synthesis.