Flammability properties analysis of methylphenol-carbonate in diphenylcarbonate production process

Diphenylcarbonate (DPC) has been regarded as a potential substitute material for highly toxic phosgene, reacting with bisphenol A (BPA) in a phosgene-free process to produce polycarbonate (PC). For synthesizing DPC, methylphenylcarbonate (MPC) was the critical intermediate with potential flammability in a transesterification reaction from dimethylcarbonate (DMC) and phenol. Under the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) criterion, MPC is viewed as one sort of combustible liquid (Class IIIB). Once it fires or burns during storage, operation or transportation, it can cause a serious fire and explosion. However, researches are still scanty in mentioning the basic but crucial fire and explosion features of MPC to date. A sound background of material safety properties is essential for safe handling; in particular, flammability information is extremely crucial for a specific chemical during a unit operation to prevent any fire and explosion hazards. In this study, we investigated the explosion limits (LEL, UEL), maximum explosion pressure (P _max), maximum rate of explosion pressure rise ((dP/dt)_max), and gas or vapor explosion constant (K _g) of MPC, according to its practical operating conditions (1 atm, 250°C, 21 vol.% O₂) and by means of a 20 L vessel (20-L-Apparatus). By surveying and defining the experimental data through flammability tests, these basic but crucial safety-related parameters on flammability characteristics of MPC were proposed, so as to advance understanding and to avoid fire and explosion accidents for such relevant processes.