Corrosion Behavior of Materials in Biodiesel Fuel Systems
Summary
The adoption of biodiesel as an alternative to conventional diesel has brought renewed attention to the long-term integrity of fuel system components. Biodiesel, composed primarily of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), introduces heightened acidity and water-retention tendencies that can compromise the passivation layers of metals and induce localised attack. Carbon steels, copper alloys and aluminium variants commonly used in pumps, tanks and pipelines are susceptible to uniform corrosion, pitting and stress-corrosion cracking when exposed to biodiesel blends with elevated acid values or residual water. Polymeric materials such as polyamide 12, polyoxymethylene and nitrile rubber experience fuel sorption, leading to plasticisation, swelling and eventual loss of mechanical performance under cyclic loading. Microbial proliferation in storage tanks may further exacerbate metal degradation through microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). Collectively, these phenomena pose challenges for vehicle reliability, storage integrity and infrastructure maintenance on a global scale. Recent advancements emphasise the need for comprehensive evaluation of material–fuel interactions, development of corrosion-resistant coatings and optimisation of fuel formulation to mitigate adverse effects. Practical measures include rigorous monitoring of oxidative stability, control of water content and selection of alloys or polymers with proven compatibility in biodiesel environments. The interplay between chemical, mechanical and biological factors underlines the complexity of ensuring durable operation across transportation and stationary applications.
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Corrosion Behavior of Materials in Biodiesel Fuel Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in corrosion behavior of materials in biodiesel fuel systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Biodiesel: A renewable diesel substitute composed of fatty acid methyl esters derived from vegetable oils or animal fats.
Oxidative stability: The resistance of biodiesel to chemical changes caused by oxygen, characterised by peroxide and acid formation over time.
Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME): The primary chemical constituents of biodiesel, formed by esterification of fatty acids with methanol.
Polymer plasticisation: The process by which polymers absorb small molecules (such as biodiesel), resulting in increased chain mobility and reduced mechanical stiffness.
Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC): Corrosion accelerated by the metabolic activities of microorganisms, often occurring in biodiesel storage environments with water presence.
References
- Implications of waste cooking oil biodiesel on carbon steel alloy in automobiles: Corrosion degradation. International Journal of Thermofluids (2025).
- Ageing properties and polymer/fuel interactions of polyamide 12 exposed to (bio)diesel at high temperature. npj Materials Degradation (2019).
- Ageing properties of a polyoxymethylene copolymer exposed to (bio) diesel and hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) in demanding high temperature conditions. Polymer Degradation and Stability (2021).
- Effect of palm oil biodiesel blends (B10 and B20) on physical and mechanical properties of nitrile rubber elastomer. Results in Engineering (2022).
- Mechanical characteristics of swollen elastomers under cyclic loading. Materials & Design (2013).
- Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion of Carbon Steel Exposed to Biodiesel. International Journal of Corrosion (2016).
- The oxidative stability of biodiesel and its impact on the deterioration of metallic and polymeric materials: a review. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society (2012).
- Influence of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Composition, Acid Value, and Water Content on Metallic Copper Corrosion Caused by Biodiesel. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society (2019).
- Corrosion Effect of Biodiesel-Diesel Blend on Different Metals/Alloy as Automotive Components Materials. Fuels (2024).
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