What is it about?
To further evaluate the compatibility of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with the biofuels included ethanol–gasoline E30 and biodiesel B30, especially the change of mechanical properties of HDPE over soaking time.
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Why is it important?
In all fuel soaking tests, more fuel absorption occurred between HDPE and fuels than oxidative damage. Due to higher polarity of bioethanol, E30 is less easily absorbed by HDPE than gasoline and causes less volume and mass change of HDPE. Compared with gasoline and E30, diesel and B30 were less likely to be absorbed by HDPE and there was no significant different of HDPE volume and mass change soaked in them. As fuel could be more easily stored in the amorphous phase of the HDPE than in the crystalline phase, the significant increase of yield elongation and little change of yield stress and the absorbed fuel may act as a plasticizer in HDPE. The increase of impact strength was due to the HDPE became more ductile after fuel soaking rather than strength increase.
Perspectives
The compatibility research between HDPE and biofuel can help design engineers to evaluate the performance changes of plastic fuel tank products made of HDPE after long-term fuel soaking.
XUEHONG CHEN
Hohai University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Compatibility study of high-density polyethylene with ethanol–gasoline and biodiesel, Journal of Elastomers & Plastics, December 2019, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0095244319891206.
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