Corrosion characteristics of aluminum alloy in bio-ethanol blended gasoline fuel: Part 1. The corrosion properties of aluminum alloy in high temperature fuels

The corrosion properties of an aluminum alloy, A384, in bio-ethanol blended gasoline fuel were examined at various ethanol contents (10%, 15% and 20%) and temperatures (60, 80 and 100 degrees C). Localized pitting corrosion developed at a high temperature of 100 degrees C. The corrosiveness of the fuel increased with increasing ethanol content (E10 < E15 < E20). However, no such coincident tendency appeared for the temperature (80 < 60 < 100 degrees C) due to the structural change of protective hydroxide film. The overall corrosion process was characterized by both competitive factors of corrosive ethanol and a protective oxide film at a given temperature and ethanol content. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.