The effect of hydrogen peroxide on the heat of combustion of ethanol

The effect of hydrogen peroxide on the heat of combustion of ethanol has been investigated via thermochemical measurements. The additive (hydrogen peroxide) has been confirmed to enhance the heat of combustion of the pure ethanol sample. The heat of combustion value of pure ethanol sample was obtained experimentally to be -490kJ/mol. With the addition of 0.01 mole of H₂O₂, a value of -500.4kJ/mol was recorded. The heat of combustion was found to increase with increase in the concentration of the additive such that a value of -1129.3kJ/mol was obtained at 0.10 mole concentration of the additive. The mechanism of the interaction of H₂O₂ with the ethanol molecule has been explained through UV-Visible spectroscopy and was attributed mainly to bathochromic and hyperchromic shift.