George S. Kriz, Jr. Western Washington University Eellingham. 9822s
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Automotive Chemistry
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A course for students in the environmental and applied sciences
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The automobile has been an important part of our lives throughout this century. However, persons being trained for careers in vehicle deiiyn very often do not understand the chemical with motor vehicles. Environ~ - ~ - -nrohlems - - ~ ~ associated ~ ~ ~ mentalists often do nothave asufficient understanding of the functionine of an automotive svstem to be able to devise fea,sible environmental controls. Increasing concern about environmental problems arising from the operation of motor vehicles demands an understanding of the chemistry of exhaust emissions and air oollution control. New types .. of engines being introduced and new types of emission control involve interesting chemistry. The course described in this paper attempts to introduce students majoring in engineering, industrial technology, and the environmental sciences to chemical principles and phenomena involving the automobile. The application of chemical principles to practical problems is introduced to many students who would otherwise not receive that type of exposure. The course described here has been taught a t Western Washington University. Of the eleven students in the initial class, ten came from the vehicle design program in the Department of Technology, and one student had an interest in chemistry and environmental problems. All of the students had one quarter of general chemistry previously. One had an additional quarter of general chemistry, and one student had a course in polymer chemistry. Students from the traditional areas of science could also appreciate the subjects covered in the course, as could those who have a strong interest in automobiles or in environmental science. "Automotive Chemistry" is a one-quarter course, offered for three credits, consisting of both lectures and laboratory experiences. Students enrolled in the course are required to have had at least one quarter of chemistry. &
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Lecture Topics
The lecture topics presented in the course are shown below. Specific reference citations for each of the topics are also included. 1) Introduction to Organic Chemistry (1.5lecture hr) 2) Gasoline and Other Fuels (6 hr), (1-11) 3) Exhaust Emissions (7.5 hr), (12-20) 4) Lubricants (4.5 hr), (21-26)
5) Electrochemistrv (1.5 hr) 61 Batteries I l 5 h r ~(27.281 , 7 , C,,rnrsiun (1.5 hr,. ,291
The course began with an introduction tu organic chemistry. Simple chemical bonding, an introduction to saturated, unsaturated, aromntlr hydrocarbons, basic alkane ICPAC' no.
menclature, and an introduction to the important classes of organic cnmpounds were included in this part of the course. At attempt was made t u limit thc-subiects treatrd under this headine to those which were essential for an understanding of the ktomotive subjects. The subject of fuels was a very important part of the course. The lecture topics used were 1) Basic four-stroke engine operation 2) Stoichiometry of combustion of gasoline 3) Petroleum refining processes 4) Thermodynamics of fuels 5) Knocking and octane ratings 6) Mechanism of gasoline combustion 7) Alternative fuels: Diesel, hydrogen, methanol, and nitramethane
Klementary thermodynamics waq introduced to discuss the high heat values uf fuels. From these \~alues,anestimateofthe amount of oower which could be derived from a narticular fuel could be niade. An introduction to free-radicai mechanisms was orovided in order to treat the mechanism of easoline combustion. For alternative fuels, comparisons were made to easoline on stoichiometric and thermodvnamics erounds to permit a discussion of the relative advantages anddisadvantaees of each fuel. ?he second most important topic included in the course was exhaust emissions. The lecture topics used were 1) Nature of air pollutants 2) Mechanism of formation of air pollutants 3) Mechanical methods of emission control 4) Catalytic converters 5) Exhaust emissions of diesel engines
A fairly detailed description of the mechanism of formation of the important air pollutants created by internal combustion engines constituted the core of this discussion. The article by Kerr, Calvert, and Demerjian (14) was particularly useful as a leading source. The nature of catalysis was introduced while dealing with catalytic converters. The exhaust emissions of diesel engines were included, with particular attention being eiven to smoke and odor from these sources. Some hvuotheses about potential methods of odor determination a i d control were discussed with the class. The subject of lubricants dealt primarily with physical chemistw of fluids. Once the chemical structure of motor oils had been established, a good deal of discussion centered around viscosity and lubricity. The nature of thick-film and boundary film lubrication was treated. Motor oil additives were discussed. A very interesting part of this general area was
Volume 55, Number 8. August 1978 1 519
the nature of the new synthetic motor oils. The article by Gilmore (24) provided useful information on this topic. In support of the remaining electrochemical topics, some fundamental principles of electrochemistry were introduced. Once these principles were established, electrolytic cells and, particularly. the lead-acid storaae hattery were treated. Other types of batteries coming into use in autbmotive applications were discussed briefly. Finally, corrosion processes were introduced, with partiiu~arattention being given to rust, its formation, and methods of control. Topics which were not included in the course, hut which could easily he included if one had more time at his disposal, might include rubber, plastics, paint, and solvents. This last topic, which one might not consider as appropriate for such a course, was suggested hy several students who had taken the class. General resource material for tooics dealine with automotive chemistry can be found in the periodicals Ghirh have been cited in the hihlioeranhv section of this oaoer. Manv of these sources are examples of more popular literature where chemists might not normally consider looking for resource material.
Conciuslon Results obtained when this course was offered initially indicate that it can he an interesting, popular, and valuihle
Laboratory Experiments The laboratory experiments were not scheduled at regular times; rather, they were interspersed throughout the quarter where they could serve to reinforce the lecture material. The lahoratory experiments used were
(11 "The Story of Gasoline."Ethyl Corporation,Petmleum ChcmidaDiviaion. (2) Lane,J. C.,in"EncyclopediaofChemicalTechnology."val. 10,John WileyandSons. Inc.. New York, 1966,pp. 463498. (3) P u q e m , W. T..Rood and Track, 17, 119 (November 19661. (4) Ludvig8en. K., Rood and Track. 21,122 (June19701. (51 HunLA., Cor Life,59 (June19671. 161 Bonson, J.,Chom. Tsehnol.,6.16(19761. (7) Anderson, R. C.,J.CHEM. EDUC., 44,248(19671. 131 Wakefield, R..Rwdond Tmek. 24.65 ISeptember 13731. (91 n i n w J.. ~~d T P S ~ ~5.68 ~. ( ~ 1974~1. ~ ~ h (101 Schoeppe1.R.J.,Charn.Technol., 2.476(19721. (III Millr,G.A..andHarney,B. M.,Chem.Technol.. 4,26(1974). (121 Haagen-Smit.A. J.. ScientificArnericon. 210.24 (January LOMI. (131 Wi1deman.T.R.. J. CHEM. EDUC..51.290(13741. (14) Kerr. J.A..Calvcrt,J. C., and Demerjian. K.L., Chsm Blil., 8,252 (June 1972). 1151 Myers, P. S., Uyehsra, 0. A,. and Newhall, H. K.,SAE Teehnid Paper #TI0181 (1971). (161 Caplan, J.D.,in'"VehicleEmidm-Pall," S a . A u t o t o t i v e E w i n r t , N ~ Y ~ k , PublicationPT-12.pp. %31. (171 Demmler, Jr., A. W..Aufornofiue Er@me"w. 85.26 (March 19771. (18) Automofiue Engineering, 85,45 (February 1977). 1191 Schmidt.R. C.. Care". A. W. and Ksmo. R.. in "Vehicle Emissio-Part 11." Soe.
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1) Analysis of Gasoline (30) 2) Field Trip to Petroleum Refinery 3) Air Pollution' 4; Viscosity Determination of Motor Oils1 5 ) Electrochemi~tryand Batteries (31J 6) Corrosion (32)
The field trio to one of the local oil refineries included a general tour of the refinery, hut it concentrated on the gasoline oroduction and testina farilities. The air nollution exverime~n attempted to compare sulfuric acid emissions from cars equipped with catalytic converters with cars not so equipped (33).The particular experiment used in this course requires some modification, and it is expected to be the subject of a later report. Using a variety of standard methods, other air pollutants could also he determined. The viscosity determination of motor oils, including synthetic motor oils, will he the subject of a later report, as well.
'Details about these experhentimay be obtained by writing to the author.
520 1
Journal of Chemical Education
addition to a chemistry curriculum. "Automotive Chemistry" can he of value to chemistry programs wishing to attract students from other disciplines. A particularly attraitive feature of this course is that it introduces fundamental principles of thermodynamics, organic chemistry, reaction mechanisms, catalysis, and electrochemistry to students who would not normally he expected to encounter them. The course also affords chemistry majors an opportunity to see how theoretical principles can be applied - to apracticalsituation. Acknowledgment The author wishes to express his gratitude for the helpful discussions with Professor Michael Seal, Department of Technology, Western Washington University. Particular thanks are offered to the students in the course, Chemistry 397D. for their enthusiastic support and for their willingness to suggest interesting additions the course. The autho; also wishes to thank the Department of Chemistry. Western Washington University, for its support. Literature CHed
(221 ~ u r g e r s bW. . T.,~ood ond Track, 18.81(July19671. (231 Ford, J. P,J. Inat. Petrol~um, 54.198 (19681.
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(271 Givens. L.,'~ufo~otu~ Engineering, 84.33 (April 1976). (281 Robinson. A. L.. Science. 192.541 (19761. (291 Aulornofiue ~ ~ & w i q 85.36 , (February 19771. 1301 Pavia. D. L.. Lampman,G. M.,andKrir, J~.~G.S."Intmdutmdti~ntoO'ganiiLabobotory Techniques,"W. B. Saunders Co.. Philadelphia, 1976,pp. 140-1U. (311 Franh,H. W.,"A Laboratory Study ofChemiea1 Principlm."Znded.,W.H. Prrman and Co.. Ssn Franeirm, 1956. pp. 129-188. (321 Weaver, E. C., (Editor), "Scientific ExpsrimcnU in Chcmiatry."Holt. Rinehartsnd Winston. Inc. NouYork. 1966.o~. 96-98, (331 Pierson. W. R., Cham. Tsehnol.. 8 . 9 2 (1976)
