Abstract
The effects of alkyl nitrates, alkyl nitrites and organic peroxides on cetane number were investigated to provide the mechanism of the improvement of cetane number improvers. It was found that all the alkyl nitrates, alkyl nitrites and organic peroxides improved cetane number of diesel fuel. In the thermolysis of cetane number improvers, free radicals were formed. Aldehydes, ketones, nitric oxides and nitric diox-ides produced were not concerned with the increment of cetane number. We consider that free radicals have influences on cetane number improvement. The n-alkyl nitrite containing more carbon atoms makes higher improvement on cetane number. The alkyl radicals containing more carbon atoms make higher increment on cetane number.
