Traditionally, liquid oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>) has long been considered one of the most dangerous hazards that can affect first responders as they respond to emergencies. While liquid oxygen is not flammable it does accelerate combustion. Given the right conditions, such as the generation of a spark or an excessive amount of pressure, oxygen can cause a fire that expands so rapidly it mimics an explosion. However, as it can be imagined this is not that common of an occurrence. In fact, it is quite difficult to set off liquid oxygen. Despite this, an extreme protocol has been set up for those who respond to emergencies. Before anyone can go into an area with spilled liquid oxygen everyone (including first responders) must wait thirty minutes before they can go in to help. According to NASA, who did extensive tests on the combustibility of liquid oxygen, after a set of twenty tests, where a heavy object was dropped on liquid oxygen from a height of six or more feet, liquid oxygen was found to be safe well sooner than the thirty-minute mark after it only combusted in two out of twenty trials. In order to test this, we took samples of carpet and concrete (mass of each was measured), which were each soaked in liquid oxygen for at least thirty minutes. After a minimum of thirty minutes had passed, samples of soaked concrete, carpet, and combinations of both were placed in a container (chilled with liquid oxygen) after which a heavy object was dropped from a height of six or more feet. Drops were recorded with the help of high-speed and thermal imaging cameras. Based on preliminary data, out a series of trials, liquid oxygen only combusted once. This leads us to conclude that the traditional approach of waiting thirty minutes is not necessary and could be engendering the lives of those in danger. We plan to supplement this data with GCMS and ramen spectroscopy to identify the type and number of hydrocarbons found in the concrete We also plan to run additional pressure tests to be sure our preliminary data is accurate.

Stability of liquid oxygen under various stressors and the role it plays in emergency situations

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.