Organic hydroperoxide catalyst system

Abstract

A peroxide system or composition for use in resin polymerization consists of 1,4-diisopropylbenzene monohydroperoxide dissolved in an organic solvent which is a solvent for hydrogen peroxide and 1,4-diisopropylbenzene dihydroperoxide. The peroxide composition is characterized by its storage stability, resistance to detonation, low flammability, ease of handling and improved catalytic properties in the polymerization of certain resins. The preferred peroxide, based on economic considerations, is a crude diisopropylbenzene hydroperoxide mixture comprising a major amount of 1,4-diisopropylbenzene monohydroperoxide and a minor amount of 1,4-diisopropylbenzene dihydroperoxide, together with solvents and unreacted materials obtained as a byproduct in the commercial manufacture of p-diisopropylbenzene dihydroperoxide. A particularly stable and useful composition consists of about 20% solvent, preferably cyclohexanone, and 80% of a mixture consisting of a major part of crude diisopropylbenzene hydroperoxide and a minor part of hydrogen peroxide. This peroxide composition, and the 1,4-diisopropylbenzene monohydroperoxide, or the crude diisopropylbenzene hydroperoxide, are soluble in or miscible with furfuryl alcohol-formaldehyde resin prepolymers. The peroxide composition and the resin prepolymer are added to sand, formed into cores or molds, and gassed with sulfur dioxide, and optionally purged with air, at a temperature from room temperature to about 300.degree. F. for a time a fraction of a second to several minutes to form superior sand cores and molds.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.