Nanoparticles increases efficiency of bio-fuels

A recent research by an Indian Research indicated that the use of Alumina Nanoparticles can be helpful to improve the efficiency and combustion of bio-diesel.

The thinking behind this is that because of their high surface-to-volume ratio, the nanoparticles have more reactive surfaces, which allows them to have more reactivity and hence allowing them to act as more efficient chemical catalyst, which thus increases fuel combustion as told by R. B. Anand, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the National Institute of Technology in Tiruchirappalli, India. This is because the more the surface area the more will be the reactivity and the chemical reaction will be more vigorous and fast. Also the presence of nanoparticles increases fuel-air mixing in the fuel, which leads to more complete burning.

In this research Anand and his colleague who is also involved in the research Co-author J. Sadhik Basha first used a mechanical agitator to create an emulsion consisting of jatropha biodiesel (a fuel derived from the crushed seeds of the jatropha plant), water, and a surfactant, which then blended in different proportions of alumina nanoparticles.

Afterwards it has been found that this has outstanding features over bio-fuel. The presence of nanoparticle significantly lowered the quantities of nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide gases, and created less smoke. This finally helps in greater efficiency of bio-fuel.This research work has been published in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy

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