Abstract
Changes in fuel composition and the introduction of alternative fuels often create problems of degradation in materials. The objective of this research is to study the interaction of the sealing materials FKM, EPDM, CR, CSM, NBR, IIR, VMQ, FVMQ and PA and biofuels such as non-aged and 2 year aged biodiesel (FAME), E10 (fuel with 10% ethanol, E85 (fuel with 85% ethanol) and non-aged and 1 year aged B10 (heating oil with 10% biodiesel) in comparison with premium grade fuel without ethanol. Exposure tests were performed with test specimens at 20 0C, 40 0C and 70 0C for 84 days to document the changes in mass, volume and tensile properties. The sealing materials FKM, FVMQ and PA were evaluated as resistant in E10, and FVMQ, VMQ and PA as resistant in E85 at 20 0C and 40 0C.
Swelling resulted from the high absorption by the elastomers CR, CSM, EPDM, IIR and NBR in comparison to their dissolution in non-aged biodiesel at 40 0C. FKM was still resistant in aged biodiesel at 40 °C but only to a limited degree at 70 0C. The sealing materials CR, CSM, EPDM, IIR and NBR were damaged to a high extent in non-aged and aged B10.
Of all the sealing materials, FKM and FVMQ showed high compatibility with these biofuels up to 70 0C.
