Quality values of a blend of expanded polystyrene dissolved in biodiesel for potential use as an alternative fuel

ABSTRACT

Biodiesel is a substitute fuel for petrodiesel, but also has properties as dissolvent. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is an isolate and packaging material, and a common waste that, however, can be used as fuel when burned. This paper focuses on the physiochemical properties of a biodiesel–polystyrene blend in different concentrations, mainly quality standard criteria. Most of the standard quality values of biodiesel were not affected by polystyrene concentrations. However, viscosity reached the quality limit value of 6 mm²/s when polystyrene is above 10 g/l. A biodiesel–polystyrene blend under 10 g/l concentration has the potential to be used as a fuel for diesel engines.

KEYWORDS:

• Biodiesel
• combustion
• polymers
• polystyrene
• viscosity

Acknowledgments

Querétaro State Government partial funding through the Secretaría de Desarrollo Sustentable (SEDESU) is gratefully acknowledged. The authors want to thank Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro and the Biofuels Laboratory for allowing this study to be done through the project “Compensaciones de Huella de Carbono del parque de autobuses de la Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro.” Also thanks to Ana Karen Malagón Sánchez, María de los Ángeles Hernández Gómez, and Karina Landaverde Mejía for technical assistance.