Since ethanol is an alcohol, it can cause corrosion in the fuel system. Metal parts are corroded, plastic parts are cracked or deformed. Ethanol is not a perfect fuel additive, not least because older cars run into problems with ethanol fuel.



Even though ethanol is less effective than gasoline and can even cause damage to cars, it is still being blended and sold because the mixture of gasoline and ethanol burns more cleanly than pure gasoline, and ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions from cars.



The advantages and disadvantages of ethanol fuel


For environmental purposes, ethanol is less damaging than unsweetened gasoline. Ethanol fuels produce much lower carbon monoxide than gasoline engines, and ethanol is derived from processed corn, making it easier to obtain. That means it also helps farm houses and manufacturing economies.



The drawback of ethanol is that farmland is used for industrial corn cultivation instead of food crops. In addition, biofuels are not suitable for all vehicles, especially older ones. Still, many automakers are moving to low-emission vehicle standards, which require cars to run on ethanol blends instead of undiluted gasoline.



Environmental and economic advantages of ethanol


In general, ethanol (ethanol msds) is considered to be healthier for the environment than gasoline. Ethanol-fueled vehicles have lower carbon dioxide emissions and the same or lower levels of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides.



E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, also has less volatile components than gasoline, which means less gas is emitted by evaporation. Adding a lower percentage of ethanol to gasoline, such as E10, 10% ethanol, and 90% gasoline, can reduce carbon monoxide emissions in gasoline and increase the octane number of the fuel.