TY - CONF A1 - Weltschev, Margit A1 - Werner, Jan A1 - Brandt, S. T1 - Compatibility of high density polyethylene grades with bioethanol-gasoline blends and biodiesel N2 - Biofuels including ethanol and biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester) represent an important renewable fuel alternative to petroleum-derived transport fuels. Increasing biofuels use would have some benefits, such as a reduction in oil demand and greenhouse gas emissions, and an improvement in air quality. Materials compatibility is a major concern whenever the fuel composition is changed in a fuel System. The aim of this work is to study the interaction between high density polyethylene (HDPE) grades and biofuels such as E85 (fuel with 85 % ethanol) and biodiesel. 10 I jerricans made of two different polyethylene grades were filled with E85 and biodiesel and exposed to temperatures of 20°C and 40°C for one year. Tensile properties (tensile strength, breaking elongation and elasticity modulus) were determined in accordance with EN ISO 527-2 at 23±2 °C once a month, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to evaluate possible changes. The tensile properties of HDPE jerrican cuttings decreased, but not significantly, after immersion in E85 and biodiesel. In particular, the elasticity modulus of the polyethylene grades was reduced after exposure to biodiesel. Pin impression tests according to EN ISO 16101 were performed with test specimens of a HDPE grade in White Spirit, E85 and biodiesel. Measurements of the remaining tensile strength showed that biofuels had a stronger effect than White Spirit. The FTIR spectra of HDPE jerrican cuttings showed that immersion tests for one year with E85 at 20°C and 40°C only caused an increase in the peak of 1585 cm'1 (C=C Stretching vibrations) in the Chemical structure of HDPE. The FTIR spectra of HDPE jerrican cuttings showed that immersion tests for one year with biodiesel at 20°C and 40°C led to a broadening of the C=O peak of 1740 cm'1 and the appearance of the hydroxyl group at 3500 cm'1. Both results are explained by secondary degradation products of the polyethylene decomposition process caused by the temperature and unsaturated fatty acid content in the biodiesel since biodiesel decomposes quickly at elevated temperatures. The broadening of the C=O peak to 1740 cm'1 can be attributed to aldehyde carbonyl and ester Carbonyl groups mutually overlapping. Measurements of the melt flow rate (MFR) showed an increase in the MFR with immersion time in biodiesel due to the unsaturated fatty acid formed in the biodiesel. Diffusions of oxygen and rapeseed methyl ester increase the Chemical impact on polyethylene grades. T2 - EUROCORR 2012 - The European corrosion congress CY - Istanbul, Turkey DA - 09.09.2012 PY - 2012 SP - 1 EP - 12 AN - OPUS4-26534 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -