Why acetylene will decompose and explode

Because it is a flammable gas.

Acetylene decomposition reaction type exothermic reaction, so at a certain temperature and pressure conditions, even if there is no oxygen and other flammable agents involved, will lead to an explosion. Acetylene when the temperature is lower than 540 degrees, the pressure is less than 0.3MPa, mainly polymerization reaction. When the pressure is 0.15MPa, the temperature exceeds 580 degrees, acetylene begins to decompose and explode.

Acetylene decomposes into carbon and hydrogen at high temperature, from which acetylene carbon black can be prepared. Under certain conditions, acetylene polymerization to generate benzene, toluene, xylene, naphthalene, anthracene, styrene, indene and other aromatic hydrocarbons. Through substitution and addition reactions, a series of valuable products can be generated.

And high-pressure storage of ethylene, acetylene explosion is a simple decomposition explosion. Caused by the simple decomposition of the explosion of explosives in the explosion does not necessarily occur when the combustion reaction, the heat required for the explosion, is due to the decomposition of the explosive substance itself generated.

Expanded information:

Ethyne use

Ethyne can be used to light, welding and cut off the metal (oxyacetylene flame), is also the manufacture of acetaldehyde, acetic acid, benzene, synthetic rubber, synthetic fibers and other basic raw materials.

Acetylene combustion can produce high temperatures, oxyacetylene flame temperature can reach about 3200 ℃, used for cutting and welding metal. Supply the right amount of air, can be completely burned to emit a bright white light, in the electric light is not popular or no electricity can be used as a light source. Acetylene is chemically active and can react with many reagents in an addition reaction.

In the 1960s, acetylene is the most important raw material for organic synthesis, is still one of the important raw materials. Such as hydrogen chloride, hydrocyanic acid, acetic acid addition, can be generated to produce polymer raw materials.

Ethynyl acetylene in different conditions, can occur in different polymerization, respectively, to generate vinyl acetylene or divinyl acetylene, the former with hydrogen chloride can be obtained from the raw material of chloroprene rubber 2-chloro-1,3-butadiene.

Ethynyl acetylene at a high temperature of 400 to 500 ℃, can occur ring triple polymerization to generate benzene; nickel cyanide Ni (CN) 2 as a catalyst, at 50 ℃ and 1.2 ~ 2MPa, can generate cyclooctatetraene.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Acetylene

Baidu Encyclopedia - Explosions