James O. Stoffer

SURFACE CHARACTERIZATION OF CERIUM BASED CONVERSION COATINGS

The goal of this research is to produce, characterize and evaluate coatings based on inorganic inhibitors which can serve as potential replacements for the chromated coatings currently used for corrosion protection in the aircraft industry. An inorganic cerium-based conversion coating has been developed and an invention disclosure has been made on the process. Panels survive over 336-hour salt fog testing at UMR and Boeing facilities which apparently meets the Mil Spec requirements for a conversion coating system. The cerium conversion coatings on aluminum7075 and 2024 panels were coated with a cathodic E-Coat. The panels that had been scribed, survived 2000 hours salt fog exposure.

Single Cylinder Engine Evaluations of Stabilized Diesel Fuels Containing Alcohols

Stabilized fuels containing methanol or ethanol, contamination water, and chemical stabilizer were evaluated in an ASTM cetane rating engine and commercial Direct (DI) and Indirect (IDI) injection engines. Engine speed and load conditions were selected to provide adequate smoke and particulate emissions for accurate measurements. All fuels were tested at equal energy input rates for the given engine. The cetane engine results were quite variable compared to those from the other engines. For operation with the stabilized fuels: All three engines demonstrated only minor changes in HC, CO, and NOX emissions and engine efficiency. The cetane engine demonstrated very little change in the smoke and particulate emissions; the DI engine showed substantial reduction in smoke and particulates; and the IDI engine showed a consistent but smaller reduction in smoke and particulates. The Soluble Organic Fraction of the particulate emissions increased significantly for the stabilized fuels operating in the DI engine. This increase was not as pronounced for the IDI engine. Fuel related operational problems are also described.