Hello again Everyone, Perhaps I can clarify things a little. First, MTBE stands for Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether. Second, TEL had nothing to do with stabilization or lifetime because the hydrocarbon molecules in gasoline are very stable -- it affected the combustion behavior of the gas. Third, relatively small amounts of certain hydrocarbons can give a significant increase in octane number. For example, the performance with "iso-octane" (2,2,4-trimethyl pentane) is the standard to establish 100 octane, and the addition of about 20% toluene can increase the octane number over 10 points. (Ethyl ether can give similar behavior, as Ray Jones has mentioned.) The major difference between the gasoline thirty years ago and now is that aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene and toluene cannot be added any more, with the argument being that they are carcinogens and can cause cancer: however, I have always considered this to be an inappropriate (i.e., stupid) argument because very few of us either drink gasoline or sit around sniffing it (although I knew some students at Stanford in the late sixties that would have been willing to try it!) As a sidelight, the catalytic reforming process used to produce aromatics also produces a huge amount of hydrogen as a by-product, which, if aromatics were still used in gas, would aid the use of hydrogen-powered cars (I am no advocate of this) because otherwise, there is presently no economically viable way to produce molecular H2. As a consequence, other additives had to be found to boost octane number and, hopefully, at the same time reduce CO and NOx emissions while not affecting catalytic mufflers. Finally, I agree with the sentiment against using ethanol from corn in gasoline, primarily because putting food in your gas tank is not economically sound, considering the costs of raising corn: however, I think most of this market goes to the large corporations, who continually buy out the small farmers (my parents still live on a ranch in Nebraska). Anyway, I have rambled on long enough. Sorry. Al M. Albert Vannice W. H. Joyce Chair in Chemical Engineering 107 Fenske Laboratory Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 Tel. (814) 863-4803 Fax (814) 865-7846 -----Original Message----- From: L.Andrew Jugle [mailto:lajugle@xxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 5:59 PM To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [Chrysler300] Gas chemistry Isn't MTBE Methyl Tert-Butyl Ethanol???The secret is to get as many complex bonds to condition the fuel rather than explode. Tetra Ethyl Lead was an additive that slowed combustion allowing short chain hydrocarbons in higher compression fuel mixes without pre-detonating allowing longer chain hydrocarbons to burn at same time. TEL helped stabilize cracked long chains in synthetic fuels by giving longer shelf life...about two weeks!! Research numbers are results of comparing fuel explosions in comparison to pure octane (thought to be the ultimate "pure fuel" hydrocarbon). The single cylinder "engine" is fired and height of free piston determines the rating as compared to octane reading as "100". Since the tree huggers could not fathom the concept "octane rating" is now legislated. Try as they might, the environmentalists cannot seem to re-write the laws of thermodynamics. The primary difference of classic 60's Sunoco 260 and todays "Premium" is that modified long chain hydrocarbons aren't there. The fuel physically has less weight. More heat energy is produced and lost to engine and less energy is transffered to pistons. Miles per gallon have been sacrificed to butterfly breath. L. Andrew Jugle, Elmhurst,IL. To send a message to this group, send an email to: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Help save the life of a child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.' http://us.click.yahoo.com/6iY7fA/5WnJAA/Y3ZIAA/8LmulB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To send a message to this group, send an email to: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Chrysler300-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/