Introduction

Automobile gasoline is the most common type of fuel used in internal combustion engines. It is a mixture of hydrocarbons derived from crude oil and natural gas. It is no secret that pure gasoline is not utilized. Extra components — fuel additives – are added at refineries. This is done not just to increase the quality of the gasoline, but also to make it more cost effective. Only the manufacturer realizes that the gasoline manufacturing process is lengthy and costly, and that fuel additives are the greatest option for making the product cheaper and better. Octane-boosting additives are the most useful since octane number is a very crucial quality for gasoline. The octane number of the gasoline influences its detonation resistance (the ability to ignite). The better the fuel, the larger it is.

We have compiled a list of the top 7 most popular octane boosting compounds just for you. Some of them have been prohibited for a long time in some nations, but others are still popular

N-Methylaniline (NMA, MMA)

The fundamental advantage of N-Methylaniline, is that it increases octane number extremely well while using very little of it. It is determined by the initial product's quality. Adding 1% N-Methylaniline to the entire volume can raise the octane number from 8 to 10 units. When utilized appropriately, we may obtain premium-quality gasoline. There is only one "but..."

This ingredient is no longer permitted in EURO-5 fuels in Russia, the United States, Vietnam, or Europe as of 2016. More intriguing, it is prohibited to use it but not to make it; hence, despite the prohibition, some people actively utilize N-Methylaniline. Everyone's personal business here, as they say.

Combustion catalyst DROP^®

N-Methylaniline, a widely used addition, is no less effective. The primary component content is 99.9%! DROP^® precisely raises the octane number. For example, to achieve 95 percent of 92 percent gasoline, just 8-10 kg (0.8 – 1 percent) of product is needed per ton.

By adding 1.5 percent of this additive by mass to a premium mix that contains 70% isooctane and 30% regular heptane, the octane number increases by at least 6 units, 3 units by research technique, and 6.2 units by motor method.

And by adding DROP^® at a rate of 1.5-2 percent by total volume to gasoline with an octane number of 80, you may obtain gasoline with an octane number of 92.

MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether)

Its market share as a high-octane boosting component is nearly monopolistic. This additive quickly binds to hydrocarbons and improves fuel economy by lowering the quantity of sulfur, benzenes, olefins, and aromatic hydrocarbons. By the way, MTBE is actively produced in Russia and China, with the United States being the only developed country where this addition is outlawed for use in gasoline. In 1996, an unsafe quantity of MTBE was discovered in subterranean drinking water supplies in the California towns of Santa Monica and Glenville. Experiments on experimental animals fed MTBE in 1997 documented the development of leukemia, lymphoma, and carcinoma. As a result, the use of MTBE has been forbidden in the state of California since 2003. Since 2007, the restriction has been extended to the remaining US states.

Aplidium^®

Effective additive that can compete with N-Methylaniline and complies with EURO-5 criteria! It is quite popular in Russia. Aplidium^®, which acts as an octane corrector, is the product of extensive testing in which two vehicles with the identical internal combustion engine and loaded with EURO-5 gasoline drove the same distance. The first car's fuel included 1 to 5% N-Methylaniline, whereas the second car's gasoline contained Aplidium®. Both engines were opened every 3000 kilometers to check for carbon formation.

Laboratory testing revealed that after applying Aplidium®, no parameters of gasoline exceeded permitted limits, indicating a significant anti-knock effect. The addition of 1.5 percent Aplidium® to a mixture of isooctane and heptane increases the octane number by 5.5 units by research technique and 5.3 units by motor method. In terms of fuel formula efficacy, 1.5 percent Aplidium® replaces up to 10% MTBE.

This additive, in addition to aromatic amines, contains organic solvents that have a cleaning action and prevent the production of resins in the car's fuel system.

The use of Aplidium® makes it easier to obtain high-octane gasoline, lowers the cost of the finished product, and completely meets the Euro-5 specifications for gasoline.

MMT (Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl)

Another addition that raises the octane number to 10 units while simultaneously lowering the level of aromatics in gasoline and lowering fuel consumption by 5%. Improves afterburning catalyst performance while avoiding clogging the catalyst with metal oxides. This additive can be used alone or in combination with Mono Methyl Aniline and MTBE. The suggested dose per ton of gasoline is 160-180 mL.

The downside of manganese additions is that they decompose in light, resulting in the loss of anti-knock characteristics. Despite their great efficiency, their application is constrained by sustainability standards. Manganese tricarbonyl is extremely hazardous. The primary drawbacks are higher wear and carbon buildup on spark plugs and in the combustion chamber.

Ferrocene

This metal-containing powder is also well-known for its anti-knock characteristics. At a cost-per-ton / OCH ratio, ferrocene is the most cost-effective technique to increase the octane number. To improve the octane number by 4-5 units, add 170 grams of product per ton of gasoline.

Ferrocene and its derivatives can be used in gasoline of any brand with an iron content of no more than 37 mg/ml. Limit ferrocene concentration for two reasons. First, iron oxides are formed, which persist as carbon on engine components and also build in the oil. Second, due of gasoline's increased proclivity for tar production. Ferrocene is forbidden under recent Euro-5 standards, and it is only used in countries where there are no EURO-5 or EURO-4 requirements.

Ferrocene is used not only as octane boosting additive, but also using in other industries:

• As supplement to pigments and dyes
• For polymer products. Ferrocene is a protective substance against elevated temperatures and UV radiation.
• Ferrocene can also be an additive to heating oil, heating oil and diesel fuel. Thanks to it, soot, smoke and carbon are not formed.
• Serves as a heat stabilizer for diethylene rubbers and polyethylene.

Tetra Ethyl lead (TEL)

Tetra Ethyl lead was first used in 1921 and is still one of the cheapest and most effective treatments available today, however it is illegal in the majority of nations.

TEL (Tetra Ethyl Lead) is not used in its pure form because metallic lead deposits on the walls of engine cylinders, causing them to corrode. As a result, so-called removers are added to the mix with Tel (Tetra Ethyl Lead), forming volatile compounds with metal lead. Scavengers are often chemicals containing chlorine or bromine. An ethyl liquid is a combination of Tetra Ethyl Lead and a scavenger, and leaded gasoline contains ethyl liquid additions. Leaded gasoline contains lead in concentrations as low as 0.013 g per cubic meter and as high as 0.013 g per cubic meter.

Ethyl liquid improves the anti-knock qualities of fuels significantly. By adding a fraction of a percent of ethyl liquid to gasoline, the octane number can be increased by 5-10 points. The most effective Tetra Ethyl Lead concentration is 0.5-0.8 g per 1 kg of gasoline.

Higher concentrations enhance fuel toxicity while decreasing detonation resistance marginally. As the Tetra Ethyl Lead level rises, the engine's dependability may suffer owing to lead buildup in the combustion chamber. The efficiency of tetraethyl lead is greatly diminished when the fuel contains sulfur, since the resultant lead sulfide hinders the breakdown of peroxides. When leaded gasoline is stored, its detonation resistance falls due to Tetra Ethyl Lead breakdown. This process is enhanced when the fuel contains water, precipitation, tar, or is stored at high temperatures, among other things.

Leaded gasoline was outlawed in the European Union on January 1, 2000, while most member nations had implemented such a restriction far earlier.

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Of course, there are several octane-boosting additives on the market, but not all of them achieve the intended result while causing no harm to the automobile or the environment. We are certain that our TOP will assist producers in selecting an addition to obtain high-quality gasoline while protecting customers' vehicles from potential harmful impacts.