What is Unleaded Gasoline?
2 Answers
Unleaded gasoline refers to gasoline with a lead content below 0.013g/L, which does not have tetraethyl lead added as an anti-knock additive during the refining process. 1. Introduction: Unleaded gasoline contains only trace amounts of lead from crude oil, typically one-hundredth of a gram per liter of gasoline. Its octane rating is 95, slightly lower than the octane rating (97) of other existing grades of leaded gasoline. The use of unleaded gasoline can effectively control harmful substances in automobile exhaust, reducing pollution such as hydrocarbons (HC causing smog), carbon monoxide (CO toxic), and nitrogen oxides (NOx forming acid rain). 2. Precautions: Although unleaded gasoline is lead-free, it may still emit three major substances during combustion: gases, particulate matter, and condensates, which still pose risks to human health. Among these, gases mainly consist of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides. Particulate matter is mainly composed of aggregated carbon particles in a powdery form, with 60% to 80% of the particles having a diameter of less than 2 micrometers, which can remain suspended in the air for long periods and are easily inhaled by humans.
I usually pay a lot of attention to car maintenance. Unleaded gasoline is essentially regular gasoline but without lead additives. In the past, lead was added to gasoline to improve anti-knock performance and prevent engine knocking. However, lead is harmful to the environment and health, especially when emitted into the air, as it affects the nervous system. That's why unleaded gasoline has largely replaced it in the market today. It mainly uses other substances like ethanol or ethers to replace the role of lead, making the car run quieter and more environmentally friendly. I remember that after switching to unleaded fuel, there was less carbon buildup in the engine, and it's also better for the catalytic converter, preventing damage and extending the car's lifespan. When refueling, just look for the 'unleaded' label—modern cars are designed to use this. Don't use the wrong fuel to avoid damaging your car and polluting the environment.
