Nano-sized metal and metal oxide particles for more complete fuel combustion

Abstract

A fuel composition contains a liquid fuel and nano-sized metal particles or nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof. The nano-sized metal particles and nano-sized metal oxide particles can be used to either improve combustion or increase catalytic chemical oxidation of fuel.

1 . A fuel composition comprising:
 a liquid fuel; and   from about 0.01 ppm to about 500 ppm of nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof, where at least about 90% by weight of the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof have a size from about 1 nm to about 990 nm.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof have a surface area from about 50 m 2 /g to about 1,000 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 90% by weight of the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof have a size from about 1 nm to about 75 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof are selected from the group consisting of Group IIa metals, Group IIa metal oxides, Group IIIa metals, Group IIa metal oxides, Group IVa metals, Group IVa metal oxides, Group VIII metals, Group VIII metal oxides, Group Ib metals, Group Ib metal oxides, Group IIb metals, Group IIb metal oxides, Group IIIb metals, and Group IIIb metal oxides. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or the combinations thereof are selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, cerium, titanium, zirconium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, silver, gold, zinc, aluminum, mixed metal particles thereof, alloy metal particles, calcium oxides, strontium oxides, barium oxides, cerium oxides, titanium oxides, zirconium oxides, iron oxides, ruthenium oxides, osmium oxides, cobalt oxides, rhodium oxides, iridium oxides, nickel oxides, palladium oxides, platinum oxides, copper oxides, silver oxides, gold oxides, zinc oxides, aluminum oxides, mixed metal oxide particles thereof, and mixed metal-metal oxide particles thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel composition of  claim 1  comprising from about 0.01 ppm to about 500 ppm of the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or the combinations thereof having a substantially spherical shape. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel composition of  claim 1  further comprising from about 0.001% to about 0.5% by weight of a surfactant. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel composition of  claim 1  having a higher RON, MON, and/or CN than a RON, MON, and/or CN for a second fuel composition comprising the liquid fuel but without the nano-sized metal and the nano-sized metal oxide particles. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid fuel is selected from the group consisting of gasoline, reformulated gasoline, oxygenated gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, marine fuel, biodiesel, bioalcohol, alcohol, and kerosene. 
     
     
         10 . A method of improving combustion, comprising:
 providing an internal combustion engine with a fuel composition comprising a liquid fuel and from about 0.01 ppm to about 500 ppm of nano-sized metal particles or nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof, where at least about 90% by weight of the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or the combinations thereof have a size from about 1 nm to about 990 nm.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or the combinations thereof have a surface area from about 50 m 2 /g to about 1,000 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or the combinations thereof have a surface area from about 100 m 2 /g to about 750 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least about 90% by weight of the at least one of the nano-sized metal particles and the nano-sized metal oxide particles have a size from about 2 nm to about 250 nm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the internal combustion engine is one of an Otto-cycle engine, a diesel engine, a rotary engine, and a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein improving combustion comprises at least one of:
 increasing power output compared to a second fuel composition comprising the liquid fuel but without the nano-sized metal or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof,   catalyzing combustion, and   increasing surface area where combustion occurs.   
     
     
         16 . A method of increasing catalytic chemical oxidation of a fuel composition, comprising:
 providing a fuel composition with a liquid fuel and from about 0.01 ppm to about 500 ppm of nano-sized metal particles or nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof, where at least about 90% by weight of the at least one of the nano-sized metal particles and the nano-sized metal oxide particles have a size from about 1 nm to about 990 nm.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising at least one of mixing, stirring, blending, shaking, and sonicating the fuel composition. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or the combinations thereof are combined with the liquid fuel by combining a fuel additive composition comprising the nano-sized metal particles and nano-sized metal oxide particles and a carrier with the liquid fuel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or the combinations thereof are selected from the group consisting of Group IIa metals, Group IIa metal oxides, Group IIa metals, Group IIIa metal oxides, Group IVa metals, Group IVa metal oxides, Group VII metals, Group VII metal oxides, Group Ib metals, Group Ib metal oxides, Group IIb metals, Group IIb metal oxides, Group IIIb metals, and Group IIIb metal oxides. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing the fuel composition with a surfactant. 
     
     
         21 . A method of making a fuel composition comprising:
 suspending from about 0.01 ppm to about 500 ppm of nano-sized metal particles or nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof in a liquid fuel, where at least about 90% by weight of the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof have a size from about 1 nm to about 990 nm.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the nano-sized metal particles or the nano-sized metal oxide particles or the combinations thereof are pre-coated with a surfactant. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the pre-coated nano-sized metal particles or nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof are prepared by mixing the nano-sized metal particles or nano-sized metal oxide particles or combinations thereof with a surfactant dissolved in a solvent followed by drying. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein mixing comprises stirring, blending, shaking, sonicating, or agitating. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein drying comprises oven drying, vacuum drying, or spray drying.