H₂O₂

Hydrogen Peroxide

Also known as:

Peroxide
Dihydrogen dioxide
Hydrogen dioxide
Hydrogen oxide
Oxydol
At concentrations above 70%, H₂O₂ is usually designated as high-test peroxide (HTP)

The Science

Why CPVC Works Well With Hydrogen Peroxide

Chemical corrosion results from strong acids and bases used for water disinfection, pH neutralization and attack from clarification polymers. Microbial corrosion occurs as a result of sludge streams and biological growth in water. As a thermoplastic, Corzan CPVC is chemically inert to most mineral acids, bases, salts and aliphatic hydrocarbons, providing a lifetime of resistance to corrosive chemicals and water of all purity levels – even at high temperatures. The material is also non-conductive and immune to galvanic corrosion.

Chemical Background

What is Hydrogen Peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful oxidizer. It is unstable, decomposing to oxygen and water while releasing heat, and although nonflammable, it can cause spontaneous combustion when it contacts organic material. Small amounts of gaseous hydrogen peroxide occur naturally in the air. Hydrogen peroxide is a colorless liquid at room temperature with a bitter taste. It is a common chemical in households, at low, non-hazardous concentrations of under 8%, for medicinal purposes and to bleach clothes and hair. Stronger concentrations, up to 28%, are used to shock swimming pools. Even stronger concentrations are reserved for industrial bleaching, oxidizing other chemicals and as a component in rocket fuel.

The History of Hydrogen Peroxide

1799

Alexander von Humboldt reports the first synthetic peroxide (barium peroxide), though this discovery is disputed.

1818

Louis Jacques Thénard uses barium peroxide to create eau oxygénée ("oxygenated water").

Late 1800s

Chemists improve Thénard's process by using hydrochloric acid before adding sulfuric acid to precipitate the barium sulfate byproduct. This process was used until the middle of the 20th century. 1873 – The first hydrogen peroxide-producing plant built in Berlin, Germany.

1908

Industrial-grade hydrogen peroxide commercialized in Weißenstein, Carinthia, Austria.

2021

Hydrogen peroxide production nears ten million tons worldwide, up from 2.7 million in 1998, 300,000 tons in 1970, and 35,000 tons in 1950.

Did you know?

Hydrogen peroxide is a “Renaissance Man” chemical. Its very broad range of industrial uses includes germ-killing, sugar and paper pulp bleaching, oxidation and more.

Temperature & Concentration

Corzan CPVC's Resistance to Hydrogen Peroxide

	Ambient Temp (73°F)	Max Temp
Hydrogen Peroxide, 30%	Recommended	180° F (82° C)
Hydrogen Peroxide, 50%	Recommended	120° F (48° C)

Drawbacks of Other Materials

The Drawbacks of Other Materials Handling Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is among the top most common chemicals that Corzan CPVC reliably handles in industrial applications. Any material will react to hydrogen peroxide in different ways according to concentration levels, temperatures, pressures and nature of the material. But engineers choose Corzan CPVC for hydrogen peroxide acid due to its performance capabilities compared to metals and other plastics.

Carbon Steel: Hydrogen peroxide is corrosive to metal after prolonged use, which creates pitting and leaks. At high, industrial-grade concentrations, carbon steel piping may fail rapidly.

Stainless Steel: Although it holds up much better against hydrogen peroxide’s oxidative effects, stainless steel piping is substantially more expensive than equal- or better-performing alternatives. Stainless steels must also be passivated to create an inactive oxide layer on the wetted surfaces prior to the introduction of hydrogen peroxide which can be hazardous and time-consuming.

PVC (Polyvinyl chloride): PVC pipe lacks the additional chlorine atoms of CPVC and is therefore resistant to the oxidative effects of hydrogen peroxide only at low operating temperatures.

Common Uses

Common Uses of Hydrogen Peroxide

Wastewater treatment
Microchip manufacturing
Common household products like whitening toothpaste, contact lens sterilizer, non-chlorine liquid detergent bleach and hair bleach
Pulp & Paper bleaching
Swimming pool chemical shock treatment
Mining
As part of rocket propellant (greater than 91% concentration)

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Explore More Chemicals

For long-term system reliability, it is critical to choose a material that resists corrosion. Corzan CPVC effectively stands up to most acids, bases and salts and is innately resistant to corrosive chemicals, including the 10 commonly used chemicals that can degrade and reduce the service life of many metals.

NaClO Sodium Hypochlorite

H₂SO₄ Sulfuric Acid

HCl Hydrochloric Acid

NaOH Sodium Hydroxide

NaCl Sodium Chloride

H₃PO₄ Phosphoric Acid

ClO₂ Chlorine Dioxide

HNO₃ Nitric Acid

H₂O₂ Hydrogen Peroxide

H₂O Water