A methodology for quantitative chemical analysis of the complex “borohydride-borate-hydroxide-carbonate-water” mixtures used as fuel in the borohydride fuel cell was developed and optimized. The methodology includes the combined usage of the acid-base and iodometric titration methods. The acid-base titration method, which simultaneously uses the technique of differentiation and computer simulation of titration curves, allows one to determine the contents of hydroxide (alkali), carbonate, and total “borate + borohydride” content. The iodometric titration method allows one to selectively determine borohydride, so the content of each of <svg style="vertical-align:-0.20473pt;width:33.450001px;" id="M1" height="11.875" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 33.450001 11.875" width="33.450001" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,11.55)"><path id="x4F" d="M381 665q131 0 226.5 -93t95.5 -239q0 -158 -96 -253t-238 -95q-137 0 -231 95t-94 238q0 142 92.5 244.5t244.5 102.5zM359 629q-89 0 -151 -74.5t-62 -208.5q0 -141 69 -233t175 -92q90 0 150.5 74t60.5 211q0 152 -69 237.5t-173 85.5z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,12.761,11.55)"><path id="x48" d="M729 650v-28q-62 -5 -76 -19.5t-14 -75.5v-404q0 -62 13.5 -76t75.5 -19v-28h-268v28q65 5 79.5 19t14.5 76v199h-341v-199q0 -62 14 -76t76 -19v-28h-263v28q61 5 74.5 19t13.5 76v404q0 62 -14 76t-76 19v28h259v-28q-58 -5 -71 -19t-13 -76v-162h341v162&#xA;q0 61 -13.5 75.5t-72.5 19.5v28h261z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,25.788,3.4)"><path id="x2212" d="M535 230h-483v50h483v-50z" /></g></svg>, <svg style="vertical-align:-3.276pt;width:37.087502px;" id="M2" height="15.7" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 37.087502 15.7" width="37.087502" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,11.55)"><path id="x42" d="M372 352v-2q176 -27 176 -159q0 -99 -95 -151q-73 -40 -196 -40h-221v28q65 5 78.5 19t13.5 76v404q0 63 -12 77t-72 18v28h257q102 0 150 -34q26 -18 41 -48.5t15 -65.5q0 -111 -135 -150zM213 362h47q80 0 117.5 32t37.5 96q0 56 -33 92t-100 36q-41 0 -56 -10&#xA;q-13 -8 -13 -50v-196zM213 328v-203q0 -54 17 -72.5t66 -18.5q67 1 110.5 37t43.5 110q0 147 -192 147h-45z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,10.058,11.55)"><use xlink:href="#x48" /></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,23.075,15.637)"><path id="x34" d="M456 178h-96v-72q0 -51 12.5 -62.5t72.5 -16.5v-27h-256v27q65 5 78 17t13 62v72h-260v28q182 271 300 426h40v-407h96v-47zM280 225v295h-2q-107 -148 -196 -295h198z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,29.413,3.4)"><use xlink:href="#x2212" /></g></svg>, <svg style="vertical-align:-3.276pt;width:36.762501px;" id="M3" height="15.7" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 36.762501 15.7" width="36.762501" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,11.55)"><use xlink:href="#x42" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,10.058,11.55)"><use xlink:href="#x4F" /></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,22.75,15.637)"><path id="x32" d="M412 140l28 -9q0 -2 -35 -131h-373v23q112 112 161 170q59 70 92 127t33 115q0 63 -31 98t-86 35q-75 0 -137 -93l-22 20l57 81q55 59 135 59q69 0 118.5 -46.5t49.5 -122.5q0 -62 -29.5 -114t-102.5 -130l-141 -149h186q42 0 58.5 10.5t38.5 56.5z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,29.088,3.4)"><use xlink:href="#x2212" /></g></svg>, and <svg style="vertical-align:-3.39066pt;width:43.775002px;" id="M4" height="20.0625" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 43.775002 20.0625" width="43.775002" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,15.775)"><path id="x43" d="M614 175l29 -10q-33 -109 -57 -154q-121 -26 -184 -26q-90 0 -160.5 29t-112.5 77t-63.5 105.5t-21.5 119.5q0 157 108 253t277 96q36 0 71.5 -5t69 -13.5t36.5 -8.5q15 -102 20 -150l-29 -8q-20 79 -66.5 114t-128.5 35q-119 0 -187.5 -86t-68.5 -207&#xA;q0 -140 73.5 -227.5t188.5 -87.5q73 0 119.5 37.5t86.5 116.5z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,11.367,15.775)"><use xlink:href="#x4F" /></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,24.062,19.863)"><path id="x33" d="M285 378v-2q65 -13 102 -54.5t37 -97.5q0 -57 -30.5 -104.5t-74 -75t-85.5 -42t-72 -14.5q-31 0 -59.5 11t-40.5 23q-19 18 -16 36q1 16 23 33q13 10 24 0q58 -51 124 -51q55 0 88 40t33 112q0 64 -39 96.5t-88 32.5q-29 0 -64 -11l-6 29q77 25 118 57.5t41 84.5&#xA;q0 45 -26.5 69.5t-68.5 24.5q-67 0 -120 -79l-20 20l43 63q51 56 127 56h1q66 0 107 -37t41 -95q0 -42 -31 -71q-22 -23 -68 -54z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,30.4,7.612)"><use xlink:href="#x32" /></g><g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,36.111,7.612)"><use xlink:href="#x2212" /></g></svg> anions in the fuel becomes estimated. The average determination error depends on the number and ratio of compounds in a mixture. Specific details of the analysis of various fuel mixtures are discussed.

A. V. Churikov

S. L. Shmakov

V. O. Romanova

K. V. Zapsis

A. V. Ushakov

A. V. Ivanishchev

M. A. Churikov

Separate Determination of Borohydride, Borate, Hydroxide, and Carbonate in the Borohydride Fuel Cell by Acid-Base and Iodometric Potentiometric Titration

This paper reports the compatibility studies of 10&#x25; ethanol blended gasoline (E10) with four types of elastomer materials, namely, Neoprene rubber, Nitrile rubber, hydrogenated Nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR), and Polyvinyl chloride/Nitrile butadiene rubber blend (PVC/NBR), and two types of plastic materials, namely, Nylon-66 and Polyoxymethylene (Delrin). These materials have applications in automotives as engine seals, gaskets, fuel system seals and hoses, and so forth. Two types of the ethanol blended gasoline mixtures were used: (a) gasoline containing 5&#x25; ethanol (E5), which is commercial form of gasoline available in India, and (b) gasoline containing 10&#x25; ethanol (E10). The above materials were immersed in E5 and E10 for 500&#x2009;hrs at 55&#xb0;C. A set of eight different properties in E5 and E10 (visual inspection, weight change, volume change, tensile strength, percent elongation, flexural strength, impact strength, and hardness) were measured after completion of 500&#x2009;hrs and compared with reference specimens (specimens at 55&#xb0;C without fuel and specimens at ambient conditions). Variation observed in different materials with respect to the above eight properties has been used to draw inference about the compatibility of these elastomeric/polymer materials with E10 fuel vis-&#xe0;-vis E5 fuels. The data presented in this study is comparative in nature between the results of E10 and E5.

J. S. Dhaliwal

M. S. Negi

G. S. Kapur

Shashi Kant

Compatibility Studies on Elastomers and Polymers with Ethanol Blended Gasoline

This study investigates the effect of iron (Fe) and aluminium (Al) contaminants on the stability of castor oil methyl ester (COME). COME was synthesized via transesterification reaction and the peroxide value of the COME was used to monitor its stability. Varied amounts of Fe and Al (0.2&#x2009;g, 0.4&#x2009;g, 0.6&#x2009;g, 0.8&#x2009;g, and 1.0&#x2009;g) in powdered form were added to 100&#x2009;mL of COME and their effect on the peroxide value was monitored for a day, for the first phase of the experiment, while for the second phase, 0.3&#x2009;g and 0.8&#x2009;g of these metals were added to 100&#x2009;mL COME, and their effect was monitored for 9 days. At the end of the study, it was observed that as the amount of the metals added to the COME increases from 0.2 to 1.0&#x2009;g/100&#x2009;mL COME, the peroxide values of the COME decrease from 1.6 to 0.3&#x2009;meq/kg and 1.2 to 0.3&#x2013;0.2&#x2009;meq/kg for Al and Fe contaminated COME after 24&#x2009;h. Also in the second phase of the experiment, the peroxide value of the 0.3&#x2009;g Fe metal contaminated COME increased from 1.4 to 11.6&#x2009;meq/kg while that of 0.8&#x2009;g Fe contaminated COME increased from 1.4 to 3.0&#x2009;meq/kg after the nine-day period of investigation.

Christopher E. Akhabue

John C. Iworah

Felix A. Aisien

Effect of Selected Metal Contaminants on the Stability of Castor Oil Methyl Ester

The aim of this work was to describe the density and viscosity and water tolerance of 1-butanol-gasoline blends. Density and viscosity of 1-butanol are higher than that for gasoline and they can affect these parameters in the final gasoline blend. Density increases linearly and viscosity exponentially with the content of 1-butanol. Water solubility in 1-butanol-gasoline blend was determined as the temperature of a phase separation. The water was separated in the solid form at negative temperature and the phase separation point was determined as the temperature of crystallization. Influence of ethanol and ethers used for gasoline blending on water phase stability of 1-butanol-gasoline blend was studied. Ethers are slightly miscible with water and they improve the phase stability. While ethanol is completely miscible water and increases the water solubility in the blends. Finally, water extractions of both alcohols from gasoline were done. In contrast to the ethanol-gasoline blends, 1-butanol remained in the hydrocarbon phase.

Zlata Mu&#x17e;&#xed;kov&#xe1;

Pavel &#x160;im&#xe1;&#x10d;ek

Milan Posp&#xed;&#x161;il

Gustav &#x160;ebor

Density, Viscosity and Water Phase Stability of 1-Butanol-Gasoline Blends

The use of propane fuel in high temperature (120&#xb0;C) polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells that do not require a platinum group metal catalyst is being investigated in our laboratory. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to determine propane adsorption energies, desorption energies, and transition state energies for both dehydrogenation and hydroxylation reactions on a Ni(100) anode catalyst surface. The Boltzmann factor for the hydroxylation of a propyl species to form propanol and its subsequent desorption was compared to that for the dehydrogenation of a propyl species. The large ratio of the respective Boltzmann factors indicated that the formation of a completely reacted product (carbon dioxide) is much more likely than the formation of partially reacted products (alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and carbon monoxide). That finding is evidence for the major proportion of the chemical energy of the propane fuel being converted to either electrical or thermal energy in the fuel cell rather than remaining unused when partially reacted species are formed.

Shadi Vafaeyan

Alain St-Amant

Marten Ternan

Propane Fuel Cells: Selectivity for Partial or Complete Reaction

The statistical optimization of different fermentation process parameters in SSF of mixed MAA and organosolv pretreated 1&#x25; (w v<sup>&#x2212;1</sup>) wild grass, namely, recombinant <i>Clostridium thermocellum </i>hydrolytic enzymes&#x2019; volume (GH5 cellulase, GH43 hemicellulase), fermentative microbes&#x2019; inoculum volume (<i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>, <i>Candida shehatae</i>), pH, and temperature, was accomplished by Taguchi orthogonal array design. The optimized parameters in 100&#x2009;mL of fermentation medium were (&#x25;, v v<sup>&#x2212;1</sup>) as follows: 1.0, recombinant GH5 cellulase (5.7&#x2009;mg<sup>&#x2212;1</sup>, 0.45&#x2009;mg mL<sup>&#x2212;1</sup>); 2.0, recombinant GH43 hemicellulase (3.7&#x2009;U mg<sup>&#x2212;1</sup>, 0.32&#x2009;mg mL<sup>&#x2212;1</sup>); 1.5, <i>S. cerevisiae </i>(3.9 &#xd7; 10<sup>8</sup> cells mL<sup>&#x2212;1</sup>); 0.25, <i>C. shehatae </i>(2.7 &#xd7; 10<sup>7</sup> cells mL<sup>&#x2212;1</sup>); pH, 4.3; and temperature, 35<sup>&#x2218;</sup>C. pH with <i>p</i>-value 0.001 was found to be the most significant factor affecting SSF. The ethanol titre obtained in Taguchi optimized shake flask SSF was 2.0&#x2009;g L<sup>&#x2212;1</sup> implying a 1.3-fold increase as compared to ethanol titre of 1.5&#x2009;g L<sup>&#x2212;1</sup> in unoptimized shake flask SSF. A 1.5-fold gain in ethanol titre (3.1&#x2009;g L<sup>&#x2212;1</sup>) was obtained with the same substrate concentration in lab scale bioreactor on scaling up the shake flask SSF with Taguchi optimized process parameters.

Saprativ P. Das

Debasish Das

Arun Goyal

Statistical Optimization of Fermentation Process Parameters by Taguchi Orthogonal Array Design for Improved Bioethanol Production

A novel strategy of waste recycling of polypropylene plastics (PP) bags for generation of commercially viable byproducts using nanoforms of nickel as catalyst is presented in this work. After pyrolysis of waste PP bags (&#x3e;20&#x2009;<i>&#x3bc;</i>m) under continuous argon flow, 90&#x25; conversion efficiency to high petroleum oil was observed at 550&#xb0;C. To assess the physicochemical attributes of formed oil, flash point, pour point, viscosity, specific gravity, heating value, and density were also measured and found to be very close to ideal values of commercial fuel oil. Moreover, GC-MS was used to resolve the range of trace mass hydrocarbon present in the liquefied hydrocarbon. Our robust recycling system can be exploited as economical technique to solve the nuisance of waste plastic hazardous to ecosystem.

Neeraj Mishra

Sunil Pandey

Bhushan Patil

Mukeshchand Thukur

Ashmi Mewada

Madhuri Sharon

Maheshwar Sharon

Facile Route to Generate Fuel Oil via Catalytic Pyrolysis of Waste Polypropylene Bags: Towards Waste Management of &#x3e;20&#x2009;<svg style="vertical-align:-2.5707pt" height="11.65" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 25.1 11.65" width="25.1" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,8.1)"><path id="x1D741" d="M583 83l20 -12q-58 -103 -161 -103q-28 0 -42.5 17.5t-14.5 43.5q0 30 16 78l-3 1q-23 -44 -62 -77t-73 -33q-39 0 -55 27h-2l-15 -59l-13 -52l-11 -38q-15 -57 -31 -81h-103q24 41 48 138l122 517h113l-74 -317q-3 -12 -3 -23q1 -21 9.5 -29t30.5 -8q49 0 103 91&#xA;q54 89 83 204l21 82h111l-79 -339q-7 -27 -7 -44q0 -31 19 -31q21 0 53 47z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,10.874,8.1)"><path id="x1D426" d="M814 24v-24h-237v24q28 2 38 14.5t10 44.5v228q0 95 -53 95q-30 0 -58 -25q-9 -7 -18 -18t-9 -15v-265q0 -30 10 -43t36 -16v-24h-232v24q27 2 37 15t10 44v240q0 45 -12.5 64t-41.5 19q-18 0 -52 -23q-32 -23 -32 -39v-261q0 -30 9.5 -42.5t35.5 -16.5v-24h-239v24&#xA;q33 6 44 18.5t11 43.5v287q0 35 -11 47t-45 17v24h192v-75h3q30 46 63 66.5t81 20.5q47 0 76 -19.5t52 -67.5q39 48 71.5 67.5t75.5 19.5q62 0 98.5 -38t36.5 -104v-248q0 -33 10.5 -45.5t39.5 -13.5z" /></g></svg> Plastic Bags

NMR spectroscopy was applied for the characterization of two biomass based pyrolysis oil samples. The samples were extracted in various solvents and the extracts were investigated by both <sup>1</sup>H and <sup>13</sup>C NMR spectroscopy. Subsequent evaluation of the integrated analytical data revealed chemical information regarding semiquantitative estimation of various functional groups. This information could not have been obtained readily from the individual spectroscopic techniques. Semiquantitative estimation of the various functional groups allowed a comparison of the extraction efficiency of these groups in various solvents. The method is based on the premise that although the number of individual molecular species in pyrolysis oil liquid is large, most of these species are composed of a limited number of functional groups. The methodology provided information on the concentration of chemical functionalities that are potentially useful for synthetic modifications and may help to guide the use of pyrolysis oil as a chemical feedstock. The approach described is expected to be generally applicable to complex mixture of hydrocarbon oils such as bio-oils, oil sands bitumen, and coal pyrolysis oils.

Abdul Majid

Indu Pihillagawa

Potential of NMR Spectroscopy in the Characterization of Nonconventional Oils

The effect of coexistence of hydrogen on the product selectivity to ethane from methane by dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) reactor was examined experimentally under ordinary pressure without use of catalyst and external heating. By the dilution of methane with hydrogen, both the increase of methane conversion and the decrease of alkene production were observed, improving the selectivities to ethane by <i>ca</i>. 70&#x25;.

Katsuya Konno

Kaoru Onoe

Yasuyuki Takiguchi

Tatsuaki Yamaguchi

Effect of Coexistent Hydrogen on the Selective Production of Ethane by Dehydrogenative Methane Coupling through Dielectric-Barrier Discharge under Ordinary Pressure at an Ambient Temperature

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Journal of Fuels