Strategically Designed Hyperbranched Polyglycerol as an Efficient Integrated Additive for Hydrocarbon Fuels

Abstract

In this study, palmitoyl and hindered phenolic hyperbranched polyglycerol (CBHPG), with hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG) as the structural core and hindered phenol or alkyl chain as the decorated shell, has been strategically designed and synthesized as an efficient integrated additive to enhance the energy efficiency and inhibit the oxidation coking of hydrocarbon fuels. The superior thermal stability and solubility of CBHPG were confirmed by thermal gravimetric analysis and dynamic light scattering. In the presence of CBHPG with high antioxidant activity, the oxidation induction time of n-undecane increased more than 2-fold at 170 °C. In deposition tests, the amphiphilic macromolecule CBHPG showed excellent performance with 58% oxidation coking inhibition rate of Chinese Jet Fuel (RP-3). The Jet Fuel Thermal Oxidation Stability test at 355 °C also exhibited that CBHPG could greatly reduce the deposit of RP-3 by decreasing the deposit rating from >4 to <1. In cracking experiments, the addition of 0.1 wt % CBHPG with sufficient polymerization could increase the conversion of n-undecane by 17.6%, with the corresponding heat sink by 6.1% at 675 °C. The above results indicated that CBHPG could efficiently enhance the performance of hydrocarbon fuels due to multipurposes in antioxidation, coking inhibition, and cracking promotion. CBHPG with a strategically designed structure as an integrated additive shows great promise in improving the energy efficiency and safety in future advanced aircraft.