Is hydrogen peroxide flammable

Answer 1

According to OSHA:

1. Conditions contributing to instability: Exposure to radiant heat (sunlight), sources of ignition, such as, heat or open flame; and physical or mechanical disturbances can create a potential fire or explosion hazard.

2. Incompatibilities: Contact between hydrogen peroxide and combustible materials such as, wood, paper, oil, etc., may cause immediate spontaneous ignition or combustion. Mixed with organic materials such as alcohols, acetone, and other ketones; aldehydes, and their anhydrides; and glycerol can cause violent explosions. Spontaneous ignition may occur when hydrogen peroxide is added to cotton (cellulose). Contact with metals including iron, copper, chromium, lead, silver, manganese, sodium, potassium, magnesium, nickel, gold, platinum; metal alloys such as, brass or bronze; metal oxides such as lead oxides, Mercury oxides, or manganese dioxide; and many metal salts, like potassium permanganate or sodium iodate could result in violent explosions. Tremendous explosions can also be caused by unstable mixtures with concentrated mineral acids.

3. Hazardous decomposition products: None reported.

4. Special precautions: Containers of hydrogen peroxide should be kept shock-free, covered and properly vented.

* Flammability Hydrogen peroxide is not combustible, but it is a powerful oxidizer [NIOSH 1994].

The National Fire Protection Association has assigned a flammability rating of 0 (minimal fire hazard) to hydrogen peroxide.

1. Flash point: Data not available.

2. Autoignition temperature: Data not available.

3. Flammable limits in air: Data not available.

4. Extinguishant: For small fires use water only; no dry chemical or carbon dioxide. Flood fire area with water from a distance to fight large fires involving hydrogen peroxide.

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-The message here is that it can be unstable under certain conditions, but the bottom line is that in and of itself it has no reported flash point and a flammability rating of 0. You're not likely to kill yourself with it using it around the house in normal circumstances. You can heat peroxide (alone) in stainless steel pots to remove burnt on sugar for example, but don't go mixing it with other chemicals or filling a bathtub with it and dumping in a brick of magnesium just to see what happens.