Improving the sustainability of biodiesel by using imidazolium-based ionic liquid.

ABSTRACT

Corrosion of biodiesel-filled fuel tanks has become a major problem in the use of biodiesel as a new green energy source. The ionic liquid 1-Hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide [C10H19N2]+[C2F6NO4S2]- was used to control corrosion of C-steel in non-edible biodiesel to resolve this problem. The anti-corrosion and antioxidant properties of the [C10H19N2]+[C2F6NO4S2]- were characterized using weight loss, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, total acid number measurements beside SEM and EDX analysis. The findings show that [C10H19N2]+[C2F6NO4S2]- plays an important role in preventing C-steel corrosion in biodiesel with an efficiency close to 99 percent. The adsorption capability and antioxidant properties of [C10H19N2]+[C2F6NO4S2]- are the major contributors to the ionic liquid's anti-corrosion properties. We anticipate that this work will help to sustainable expand the use of biodiesel as a renewable energy source.