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Optimizing Ethanol's Heat Production |
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Table of Contents |
Conclusion: In short, the hypothesis made in the beginning of the experiment is correct. The mixture between ethanol and hydrogen peroxide is safe and stable as hydrogen peroxide is fully miscible with ethanol which is able to dissolve both polar and nonpolar substances due to its polar hydroxyl group and nonpolar hydrocarbon structure. It is observed that hydrogen peroxide does aid in the combustion of ethanol. Although only the results of 95%, 80%, and 75% ethanol show a higher final temperature resulted after the combustion from table 1.1 and 1.2, it is imperative to remark that the solutions mixed with hydrogen peroxide reach a higher temperature within the same period of time when compared to the mixture of ethanol and water. However, as the solutions of ethanol-hydrogen peroxide burn out much quicker than the ethanol-water solutions, lower final temperatures are observed. Nevertheless, this is favorable as more heat energy is produced and more work can be done with a shorter period of time. This can be easily explained by the fact that as hydrogen peroxide breaks down into oxygen gas and water, the oxygen gases released become favorable in helping the combustion reaction of ethanol as well as creating a higher amount of energy. Moreover, it is also believed that the ethanol-hydrogen peroxide solutions undergo a much cleaner combustion than the ethanol-water mixtures as there is a significant reduction of solutions left over after the combustion as well as a cleaner odor during the burning for the hydrogen peroxide solutions. However, further investigations have to be carried out regarding this topic.
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