Hydrogen peroxide: Feedstocks
Cheap hydrogen decides the winners
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.Peroxide is hydrogen and oxygen joined through a recycled anthraquinone carrier, with steam and power for distillation. Hydrogen cost decides competitiveness. Chlor-alkali plants that have by-product hydrogen, as in India, and HPPO-integrated mega-plants with cheap gas are lowest cost. Because peroxide is unstable and costly to ship, local capacity usually wins its region.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gas Natural gas | about 0.06 t H2 per t H2O2 100% | reducing agent | about 20-30% of cash cost (indicative) | Stoichiometry; indicative |
| Electricity and steam | about 0.3-0.6 MWh and 1-2 t steam (indicative) | compression, distillation | about 25-35% (indicative) | Indicative |
| Pd Palladium | small losses | hydrogenation catalyst | a few percent (indicative) | Indicative |
| Anthraquinone and solvents | make-up only | working solution | a few percent (indicative) | Indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Low cost: HPPO-integrated plants in China and the Middle East, and Indian and Asian chlor-alkali producers using by-product hydrogen. High cost: small merchant plants buying hydrogen made from imported LNG or expensive European gas.
Raw materials on the commodity table
Gas Natural gasWhat it is made into
| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| PO Propylene oxide | HPPO process |
| CPL Caprolactam | cyclohexanone ammoximation |
| UPW Ultra-pure wet chemicals | ultra-pure peroxide for wafer cleaning |
| WT Water treatment chemicals | oxidation and disinfection |