Biodiesel made from vegetable oil helps to protect the environment but cannot be stored for as long as conventional fossil fuels without using additives. After just a few days of exposure to air, it becomes less stable. Acids and solids then begin to form and these can cause damage to engines. In an early response to this problem, and in order to extend the scope of this green fuel, LANXESS has developed the biodiesel stabilizer Baynox. This product ensures that – whether in the logistics chain between manufacturer and end consumer or in the tank of a diesel vehicle – biofuel has just as long a shelf life as conventional fossil-fuel-based diesel.

Test under extreme conditions
During a five-year pilot project in the Indian state of Gujarat, the Daimler Group has been overseeing the production of biodiesel from the jatropha nut, a plant that normally grows wild in Asia. However, in the humid tropics, biodiesel made from vegetable oil very quickly becomes rancid. The experts at LANXESS recommended that Daimler use the highly effective biodiesel stabilizer Baynox plus as an additive in its fuel. This product reliably inhibits the decomposition process in biodiesel, burns without leaving behind residues and thus prevents engine damage.

Approved quality
In early 2009, a study by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Qualitätsmanagement Biodiesel e.V. (AGQM – a German consortium for biodiesel quality management) confirmed that Baynox plus can be used without reservation to enhance the shelf life of pure biodiesel and the biodiesel that is added to mineral diesel as demanded by statutory requirements. AGQM tested the compatibility of the stabilizer and issued it with a “no harm” certificate.