The T2 Laboratories incident is associated with which type of hazard?

• A. Endothermic reaction
• B. Catalyst poisoning
• C. Rapid polymerization
• D. Runaway exothermic reaction

Answer: (D)

The essential idea is thermal runaway in an exothermic process. When a reaction releases heat, it warms the system. If cooling is insufficient or heat removal is fouled, the temperature climbs. Higher temperature speeds the reaction rate (Arrhenius behavior), producing more heat in a positive feedback loop. In polymerization, this heat release can be substantial, so loss of cooling or depletion of inhibitors can trigger runaway exothermic heating, potentially causing a violent failure. The T2 Laboratories incident is a classic example of this: uncontrolled, exothermic polymerization led to rapid heat buildup, pressure rise, and an explosion. Endothermic reactions don’t tend to run away because they consume heat; catalyst poisoning slows or halts the reaction; rapid polymerization isn’t by itself the hazardous mode—it's the uncontrolled heat generation (runaway exotherm) that defines the danger.