A MODEL SYSTEM FOR THE STUDY OF ADDITIVES DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE STABILITY OF JET FUELS AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE 400-DEGREES-C

We have previously demonstrated that additives such as benzyl alcohol and the like successfully retard the formation of carbonaceous materia ls in jet fuels at temperatures in excess of 400-degrees-C. An underst anding of the underlying mechanisms is important and could point the w ay to the design of superior additives. Here we report the results of thermal stressing studies performed on a model system consisting of do decane/benzyl alcohol mixtures. Dodecane has been the subject of many prior studies and is a good representative model compound for jet fuel . Furthermore, deuterated compounds of both dodecane and benzyl alcoho l are available and results obtained using these compounds were found to be particularly useful in rationalizing why benzyl alcohol acts as a thermal stabilizer in hydrocarbon mixtures at such high temperatures .