バイオ燃料を使用したディーゼルエンジンにおけるカーボンナノチューブの合成

抄録

Carbon nanotube (CNT) was synthesized during combustion in a diesel engine by using two types of biodiesel, fatty acid methyl ester and long chain alcohol, as main fuel. Ethanol which is also known as biomass-derived material was blended with main fuel. Ferrocene as a catalyst source for CNT growth and molybdenum/sulfur as a promoter were added into mixed fuel. CNTs produced were assessed mainly by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope whether CNT was really synthesized or not. Gas compositions like O₂, CO, CO₂ and low-molecular weight hydrocarbons of an exhaust from an engine were examined by gas chromatograph. As a comparative study, experiments using n-dodecane as main fuel which is not biomass-derived fuel were carried out. Obtained results indicated that biodiesel had a propensity to produce larger CO amount which led to larger CNT production than that produced from ndodecane based fuel even at a low ethanol fraction in fuel.