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theholycow

05-01-2009 11:49 AM

Dissolve waste polystyrene (foam cups/plates) in biodiesel for more power

https://www.newscientist.com/article/...rformance.html

Quote:

[...]
Kong and colleagues dissolved polystyrene – a polymer used to make disposable foam plates and cups – into biodiesel at concentrations ranging from 2 to 20% polystyrene by weight. "A polystyrene cup will dissolve almost instantly in biodiesel, like a snowflake in water," Kong says, although the plastic doesn't break down as well in petroleum-based diesel and other liquid fuels.

Tests of the mixed fuel in a tractor engine used for electricity generation showed that as polystyrene concentrations increased to 5%, power output increased at roughly the same rate. However, there was a drop off in output for plastic concentrations above 5%.
[...]

I remember dissolving styrofoam packing peanuts in gasoline with a friend in high school, it dissolved readily and made a goop that was effectively napalm. :eek:

dkjones96

05-01-2009 12:05 PM

I wonder if it really dissolves or if it chemically reacts. The burning of polystyrene creates dangerous toxins.

I'd experiment but I think the apartment complex might have a problem with that... lol

Jay2TheRescue

05-01-2009 12:07 PM

You were making Napalm? Gee, my friends & I were making bombs out of 9 volt batteries...

dkjones96

05-01-2009 12:13 PM

Me and my friends made napalm from packing peanuts and gas. We also came up with fun uses for party balloons, oxy/acet torches, and large appliances people abandoned in the middle of nowhere. Ah, those were innocent times, sorta. :)

zero_gravity

05-05-2009 04:34 AM

yup did the same here. had some good bonfire parties at the back of a friends house. one guy was all wasted and i swear he must have made a pound of the crap - then promptly tossed it all on the fire. i dont think ive ever seen flames that high lol

dkjones96

05-05-2009 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zero_gravity (Post 133966)

i dont think ive ever seen flames that high lol

I take it you've never burned a Christmas tree. It's enough to make you never want a live one in your home again. I did a showing of that for my neighborhood once and the next year there wasn't a single live tree by the street to be picked up lol.

JanGeo

05-05-2009 06:34 AM

I hear ya on the Christmas tree - burned a few branches in the wood stove a few times YEAOW! talk about combustion!!!! IT is SCARY how fast it goes up - lots of surface area on all those needles and covered with a waxy oil woosh! Once started if you leave the room to get a fire extinguisher you will not make it back into the room before the tree is totally involved.

theholycow

05-05-2009 06:47 AM

I threw a small piece of Christmas tree branch on the fire, walked away for a couple minutes, and when I came back I saw this:

https://lh5.ggpht.com/_oNsRR_T1Qx0/SG...0/IMG_1394.JPG

zero_gravity

05-07-2009 04:32 AM

i've always had artificial trees because of my allergies. got the crap from birth thanks to my mom.

another good big fire was some drunken bonfire party tossing an old couch on the flames. man its scary how fast and hot those things burn.

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