HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

Abstract

Future prospects for hydrogen peroxide are closely linked to those of sodium perborate, the main use of which is as a bleach in household detergents. About 40 to 50% of hydrogen peroxide produced in the United Kingdom is ultimately converted to perborate. Of the other captive uses for hydrogen per%oxide, an important one is in the production of organic and inorganic peroxygen compounds. They are widely used by the plastics industry and are primarily reaction and polymerization initiators. As such, they are involved in a catalytic function in the polymerization of ole-fins, styrene and vinyl chloride and in the curing of resins. The products with the largest volume of sales are benzoyl peroxide, lauroyl peroxide and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide. The use of hydrogenperoxide as a bleach for textile fibers is growing steadily, while the bleaching of wood pulp is largely confined at present to selected Scandinavian companies. Tables list world producers of hydrogen peroxide and world producers of sodium perborate.