Studies on thermal decomposition behaviour of tris (2-methylbutyl) phosphate-nitric acid system by calorimetry

Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) along with its degradation products and n-dodecane (n-DD) which in advertently gets entrained into the aqueous stream react with nitric acid and metal nitrates at high temperature leading to the formation of unstable nitrous compounds called 'Red Oil'. In the present study, the thermal stability of neat T2MBP and 1.1M T2MBP/n-DD (in the presence and absence of 4 M HNO₃) was investigated using adiabatic calorimeter (M/s HEL, UK). The experiments were carried out in closed air ambience under heat-wait-search mode. The gaseous products generated during thermal decomposition were characterized by employing Gas chromatography (GC)technique.It was observed that neat T2MBPis stable up to 508 K where it undergoes boiling and subsequently exhibits an exothermic decomposition with temperature rise exceeding 773 K (calorimeter limit)