A New Kind of Molecule Prevents Jet Fuel from Exploding

K aeroplane laden up with tens of thousands of gallons of fuel for transcontinental flight of stairs , which can top to monumental blowup in a crash or terrorist attack . But summate “ molecular velcro ” to fuel can dramatically reduce its excitableness , or explosiveness .

you may see the difference between the two in the above high - swiftness video . The untreated fuel ignites and generates a massive ball of fire ; the treated fuel does not .

The key is a young kind of ultra - long polymer molecule that Caltech chemical substance engine driver Julia Kornfeld calls “ megasupramolecules . ” Polymers are just very farsighted mountain chain of restate blocks of minuscule molecule , and the “ megasupra ” translation has the lend lineament of being capped on either end by block that act a lot like velcro . This make them ideal for control the “ misting ” of blue jet fuel .

obscure is a good thing when it comes to equally distributing spray of fuel for easy ignition system in an super C engine . But it becomes a major indebtedness in a crash .

That ’s where megasupramolecules can facilitate , by adding them to fuel , like Rudolf Diesel . Most of the time , these supramolecules hang about in a tightly handbuild configuration , but the strength of an impact makes them stretch out out to prevent the breakup of fuel droplet and reduce misting , thereby controlling the size of it of an explosion and/or slow the hurrying at which it heat .

The idea for these megasupramolecules dates back to the late 1970s , in the wake of one of thedeadliest airplane crashes in account . In 1977 , two Boeing 747s collided on the runway at Tenerife and exploded , defeat 583 of the 644 passengers on board . So scientist came up with the idea of tot ultra - long polymers to fire to decrease the intensity of post - crash burst .

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It seemed like a promising boulevard of research , until a disastrous clangoring test in 1984 . Instead of reducing the intensity of the explosion , the mental testing aircraft was take by a massive fireball . That nonstarter — not to mention the critical medium reportage — efficaciously squelch interest group in developing this program for ultra - long polymers further .

But then 9/11 happened , and JPL researcher Virendra Sarohia approached Kornfeld about repair the melodic theme of designing a special polymer to help with mist control of jet fuel .

In 2006 , one of her grad students , Ameri David , deliver the goods in devising a computer example for a megasupramolecule that seemed to hit the sweet-smelling office : cater all the benefits of extremist - long polymers as a fuel additive , while address some of the defect — namely , a tendency to break aside when flow through pump , pipes , and filters . The megasupramolecules , on line , can reconnect if they let on apart , thanks to that molecular velcro at each end .

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It strike down to Ming - Hsin “ Jeremy ” Wei to actually build the structures . The tricky part was fashioning the molecular velcro and target in the just the right spot on the long polymer chains . JPL alchemy Simon Jones helped him devise better methods for producing longer chains with this structure , although none will be sufficient to descale up production to aggregative commercial levels if it ’s approved s a fuel linear . “ My goal is to originate a reactor that will unceasingly produce the polymer , ” Wei said in a press release , adding that he thinks he can do this within the year .

Here ’s Kornfeld talking about some of the more bright software for this raw fuel additive . You cansee more video here .

[ ViaCaltechandScience ]

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telecasting and image : Caltech / JPL

Reference :

Wei , Ming - Hsin et al . ( 2015 ) “ Megasupramolecules for safer , cleaner fuel by end tie-up of long telechelic polymers , ” Science , 350 ( 6256 ): 72 - 75 .

Photo: Jae C. Hong