Thermal characteristics of lysine tri-isocyanate and its mixture with water

The thermal reactivity of lysine tri-isocyanate (LTI, 2-isocyanatoethyl-2,6-diisocyanato caproylate) and its mixture with 1% water was investigated after the occurrence of a runaway reaction at a plant. By using a sensitive thermal calorimeter, C80, and an adiabatic calorimeter, ARC, an onset reaction of LTI was observed at 70-100 °C and it became vigorous at 175-200 °C. The reaction is considered as co-polymerization at this stage, which causes a second decomposition reaction at 200 °C if the heat generation is accumulated in the vessel. On the other hand, the presence of water can catalyze LTI at much lower onset temperature and lead to a moderate reaction at 50 °C since carbamine is produced and in turn it induces decarbonization of the LTI molecule with significant release of CO2 gas which was detected by a gas chromatography and an FT-IR gas analyzer.