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The work reported here was initiated in the attempt to develop a bio-based two-cycle SI engine lubricant as an alternative to commercially available mineral based synthetics. In the first phase of the project, it was discovered that straight soy based biodiesel at any volume ratio with gasoline had insufficient lubricity to prevent engine seizure. Mixtures of synthetic with biodiesel proved to have adequate lubricity. A two-cycle lubricant was then synthesized via a trans-esterification of canola oil with hydrogen peroxide and vinegar forming canola oil based biodiesel (COBB). COBB proved to have superior lubricity to synthetic lubricant. The superior lubricity of COBB is hypothesized to be due to a saturated solution of non-reacted canola oil in the biodiesel. This hypothesis was tested using mixtures of canola oil in a solution of phenyl acetate as a two-cycle SI engine lubricant.

Higher carbon number alcohols offer an opportunity to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) and improve the energy content, petroleum displacement, and/or knock resistance of gasoline-alcohol blends from traditional ethanol blends such as E10 while maintaining desired and regulated fuel properties. Part II of this paper builds upon the alcohol selection, fuel implementation scenarios, criteria target values, and property prediction methodologies detailed in Part I. For each scenario, optimization schemes include maximizing energy content, knock resistance, or petroleum displacement. Optimum blend composition is very sensitive to energy content, knock resistance, vapor pressure, and oxygen content criteria target values. Iso-propanol is favored in both scenarios' suitable blends because of its high RON value.

The U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) requires an increase in the use of advanced biofuels up to 36 billion gallons by 2022. Longer chain alcohols, in addition to cellulosic ethanol and synthetic biofuels, could be used to meet this demand while adhering to the RFS2 corn-based ethanol limitation. Higher carbon number alcohols can be utilized to improve the energy content, knock resistance, and/or petroleum displacement of gasoline-alcohol blends compared to traditional ethanol blends such as E10 while maintaining desired and regulated fuel properties. Part I of this paper focuses on the development of scenarios by which to compare higher alcohol fuel blends to traditional ethanol blends. It also details the implementation of fuel property prediction methods adapted from literature. Possible combinations of eight alcohols mixed with a gasoline blendstock were calculated and the properties of the theoretical fuel blends were predicted.