Stable water-in-oil microemulsions of diesel (D) and biodiesel (BD) fuels were produced from Span 80, sucrose esters and cosurfactants. They were defined by HLB-(D/(surfactant+cosurfactant))-(surfactant/cosrfactant)-wt% H2O values. As the water content increased so the droplet size increased. To some were added water-borne catalysts (WBC: Ce(NO3)2) and fuel-borne catalysts (FBC: Ce(acac)4). Figure 1 shows that particulate emissions from engines operating on these fuels (especially at higher loads) decreased from those seen with neat D. The same was true for NOx emission. Figure 2 shows the types of finely-dispersed and fractal particulates emitted. When WBC and FBC catalysts were incorporatwed in the fuels these were seen by TEM-EELS in the emitted particles. We have analysed particulate types and concentrations over a period of time in the atmosphere of San Diego, CA; such levels can be decreased by the type of microemusion fuels described here.

Nanoengineering water-in-diesel/biodiesel microemulsion interfaces to minimise particulate and NOx emissions from diesel engines to minimise atmospheric pollution

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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