The compatibility of elastomer materials used in fuel storage and dispensing applications was determined for an off-highway diesel
fuel and a blend containing 20% bio-oil (Bio20) derived from a fast pyrolysis process. (This fuel blend is not to be confused with B20,
which is a blend of diesel fuel with 20% biodiesel.) The elastomer types evaluated in this study included fluorocarbon, fluorosilicone,
acrylonitrile rubber (NBR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), polyurethane, neoprene, and silicone. All of these elastomer types are
used in sealing applications, but some, like the nitrile rubbers are also common hose materials. The elastomer specimens were exposed
to the two fuel types for 4 weeks at 60°C. After measuring the wetted volume and hardness, the specimens were dried for 65 hours at
60°C and then remeasured. A solubility analysis was performed to better understand the performance of plastic materials in fuel blends
composed of bio-oil and diesel.
Publication Date
Contact Email
theisstj@ornl.gov
Contact Person
Tim Theiss
Contact Organization
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Bioenergy Category