Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi!! It's been a long time since I've logged in Before I begin, I really want to thank science buddies.com.. IT RULEZZ!! Our former project was substituting scrap metal in place for silicon in photovoltaic cells.. I want to thank the users who helped our team reach the NATIONALS!!! Thanks alot guys!!

Well another year of school just opened and my partner wanted to experiment about biofuel... She suggested using coconut but when I was searching, I came across about a topic that sugar cane was used in making bioethanol... I'm really interested in this topic but I'm having doubts with sugar cane because since the project has already been done I'm not sure if we can use it... Which is better coconut or sugar cane? or what if we mix the two components will the results change for the better or for worst?

Hi loonygirl1395,

Both sugar cane and coconut oil have been used.

for sugar cane (most notably in Brazil), please see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01440.html

for coconut oil, please see:
http://www.kokonutpacific.com.au/index.html?Biofuel.htm

Other factors are likely to dominate, such as:
economic, the price of the “fuel,” including complete shipping costs
supply: how much “fuel” is needed, and the availability of the raw materials

As to mixing products, the sites above talk about the mixing of the biofuel with a petroleum product (such as kerosene).

Interesting projects are to:
compare sugar cane and coconut oil "fuels"
compare unblended sugar cane and coconut oil "fuels" to "fuels" blended with a petroleum product

Note: the petroleum products as are, most likely, the base sugar cane and coconut oil "fuels," are flammable! So adult supervision is a must!