Hydrogen peroxide

Concentration

Hydrogen peroxide works best as a propellant in extremely high concentrations. However, there are very few suppliers of high purity hydrogen peroxide, and they are averse to selling to any but the largest institutions. As a result, amateurs wishing to use this for rocket fuel usually have to purchase 70% or lower purity (most of the remaining 30% is water, and sometimes there are traces of stabilizing materials, such as tin), and increase its concentration themselves. Many try distillation, but this is extremely dangerous with hydrogen peroxide; peroxide vapour can detonate at a temperature of about 70 °C. A safer approach is sparging, possibly followed by fractional freezing, but even when using this method contaminants may still often cause explosions.

Related Topics:
Distillation - Sparging - Fractional freezing

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In the 1950s high test peroxide was more readily available, but because of safety concerns bulk manufacturers have since switched over to handling lower concentrations of H2O2 whenever possible. Some amateur groups have expressed interest in manufacturing their own peroxide, for their use and for sale in small quantities to others.

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