Scientists invent fireproof fuel
If you throw a burning match into a puddle of gasoline, the vapors will ignite. If this happens as a result of a car accident or a fuel leak at a gas station, the number of victims can be high. US scientists have found a way to control fuel vapors by developing a new, safer fuel that burns only under certain conditions. Moreover, this burning is easy to control.
When fuel is burned, it is not the liquid itself that burns, but the volatile molecules that accumulate above the surface and come into contact with oxygen and fire. If you cut off the oxygen supply, the flame will go out, but it’s not easy to do this outside the engine.
The new fuel, created at the University of California, is based on an ionic liquid, or liquid salt. It has a lower melting point than table salt and low vapor pressure. In addition, chemists have modified its formula by replacing chlorine with perchlorate, Science Daily reports.
When the scientists tried to set the ionic liquid on fire with a lighter flame, no fire occurred. Then, when they applied voltage along with a lighter flame, the liquid ignited. As soon as the power was cut off, the flames went out. The scientists repeated the process several times, observing the same result.
“As soon as we turned off the current, the flame disappeared, and we were able to repeat the process over and over again – applying voltage, seeing smoke, lighting the smoke, it burned, then turning off the current,” said Wang Yuijie, one of the researchers.
The more voltage is applied to the liquid, the larger the flame with a higher energy output, the scientists say. Thus, their invention can serve as a metering or throttling system in an engine. In theory, ionic liquid can be used in any type of vehicle. In addition, it can be mixed with conventional fuel, making it non-flammable. But in what proportions remains to be seen.
In the spring, Space Pioneer became the first private space company in China to launch a liquid-fueled rocket. As it became known recently, this was not the only achievement of the startup. It turns out that the aviation kerosene used to power the engines was derived not from oil but from coal. This innovation could provide Chinese astronautics with a reliable and efficient source of energy, which China is rich in.
