Alternate Fuel Source for Cars

Alternate Fuel Source for Cars

Petroleum is the most commonly source of fuel, even with the other sources such as electricity, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, and solar powered cars There are wide ranges of automobiles used around the world. Mostly all automobiles are powered by petroleum. With increasing concerns about pollution and other toxins in the atmosphere, the industry is forced to look into alternate forms of fuel. In the past scientists have been looking into solar and electrically powered vehicles to aid in the reduction of pollutants. Boron has recently been introduced as another feasible alternative fuel. This alternative to gasoline is extremely combustible, and when burned there are no emissions or harmful pollutants.. People prefer petroleum, mainly because they worry how they are going to refuel their car.

J.L. Gay-Lussac and L.J. Thenard in Paris, France, and Sir Humphry Davy discovered the element Boron in London, England in 1808. The name "boron" comes from the Arabic "buraq" (pronounced borax). Boron is an essential mineral for plants and animals, although it can be toxic in large quantities (Chemsoc 1). Boron is also used in Pyrex glass, which makes the glass more heat resistant. Boron compounds are also extensively used in the manufacture of borosilicate glasses. Other boron compounds show promise in treating arthritis. Boron has many common uses, but there are also many advantages to using it as and alternative form of fuel.

The biggest advantage to using a boron-powered car is safety. Boron is extremely combustible but it is also extremely hard to light. The reaction of boron in air depends upon the crystalline of the sample, temperature, particle size, and purity.

Boron does not react with air at room temperature, in fact; it doesn’t react at all (Winter 1). In order for boron to burn, it requires pure oxygen. In the case of boron, this would never happen because of boron's inability to react with the earth's atmosphere. Boron cars would have one of these discs to start out with, but it wouldn't just be burned once and release harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. It would go back to a nuclear power plant to get regenerated. The decomposition of boron is a thermal process, so the heating of the discs would regenerate it and the boron could be reused (Cowan 1-2).

The main reason of pollution in the United States is gas-powered cars. In addition to their effect on our health, exhaust gases and particles from cars do extensive damage to crops, vegetation, and wildlife. In particular, motor vehicles are a significant source of water pollution. Oil, antifreeze, and small tire particles gather on roads and highways; during the rainy season, they are washed into our streams and waterways, causing damage to