Article pubs.acs.org/EF
Multidimensional Gas Chromatographic Analysis of LowTemperature Oxidized Jet Fuels: Formation of Alkyldihydrofuranones Renée L. Webster,†,‡ David J. Evans,† and Philip J. Marriott*,‡ †
Defence Science and Technology Organisation, 506 Lorimer Street, Fishermans Bend, Victoria 3207, Australia Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
‡
ABSTRACT: Liquid hydrocarbon fuels are complex hydrocarbon mixtures, made even more complex when oxidation reactions produce a variety of oxygenated species. Heart-cut multidimensional gas chromatography coupled with chemical ionization mass spectrometry was applied to the quantification of alkyldihydrofuranones in several fossil and alternatively derived jet fuels. The fuels were then subjected to thermal oxidative stress for extended times using a purpose-designed experimental system. The concentration of furanones in all fuels increased over the course of the experiment, to a maximum of 7.5 mg/L in a hydrotreated fuel. The analytical method is robust with R2 for all analytes above 0.9993 and relative standard deviation below 6%. A mechanism for the formation of these compounds via intramolecular cyclization is also postulated.
1. INTRODUCTION In modern aircraft platforms, middle-distillate fuels are being subjected to increasingly high thermal loadings.1 Thermal stability is a crucial performance characteristic of fuels, particularly in aircraft, where fuel is used as a heat sink for the cooling of avionics and lubricants. Poor thermal stability is known to contribute to the formation of gums and other solid residues in fuel2 as well as an increased propensity toward undesirable qualities, such as surfactant tendency and poor water separability.3 Low-temperature (
