Hi

Can anyone provide data on the thermal behaviour of methanol in the 120C to 170C temperature range. We are heating methol (99.9% purity) in a sealed and evacuated high purity copper tube. There appears to be some degradation of the methanol. Is there a temperature at which methanol might breakdown into component parts ?

Thank you

I'm sure that methanol will decompose. If there's nothing else in the vessel, it will decompose to form H2 and CO

CH_3OH \rightleftharpoons CO + 2H_2

Copper is a catalyst for the reaction, though the temperature that they quote here is 240 C.

SpringerLink - Journal Article (http://www.springerlink.com/content/k2g83u1324rg4163/)

There will probably also be some side reactions that will form formaldehyde and water and maybe some other cats and dogs.

Look for papers citing DSC measurements.