Carbon-hydrocarbon gas composite fuels

Abstract

A composition includes a porous carbon substrate; a hydrocarbon gas; a sealant configured to retain the hydrocarbon gas with at least a portion of the porous carbon substrate. Such a composition is known as a carbon-hydrocarbon gas composite. Another composition includes the carbon-hydrocarbon gas composite and fuel. Such fuels include diesel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising:
 a porous carbon substrate;   a hydrocarbon gas; and   a sealant configured to retain the hydrocarbon gas in at least a portion of the porous carbon substrate when the composition is exposed to atmospheric pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the hydrocarbon gas is adsorbed on a surface of the porous carbon substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the porous carbon substrate is a microporous carbon substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the porous carbon substrate comprises graphite, graphene, mesoporous carbon, mesoporous microcarbon microbeads, amorphous carbon, coal, pulverized coal, biomass, plastic resins, polymers, or waste materials. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon gas comprises methane, ethane, propane, butane, isobutane, pentane, isopentane, neopentane, methylether, methylethylether, or a mixture of any two or more thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon gas comprises methane. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sealant comprises heavy tar, coal pitch, a starch, a sugar, or a mixture of any two or more such materials. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising up to 80 wt % of the hydrocarbon gas. 
     
     
         9 . A process of preparing a carbon-hydrocarbon gas composite comprising:
 exposing a porous carbon substrate to a pressurized hydrocarbon gas to form a carbon-hydrocarbon gas material;   coating the carbon-hydrocarbon gas material with a sealant.   
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the exposing is conducted at a pressure of from 10 atm to 500 atm. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the coating comprises contacting the sealant in a liquid state with the carbon-hydrocarbon gas material; and solidifying the sealant. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the temperature of the contacting step is sufficient to maintain the sealant in the liquid state. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein solidifying comprises cooling the sealant and carbon-hydrocarbon gas material. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the sealant is dissolved in a solvent as a solution, and the coating comprises spraying the solution on the carbon-hydrocarbon gas material and removing the solvent. 
     
     
         15 . A composition comprising:
 a fuel; and   a carbon-hydrocarbon gas composite comprising:
 a porous carbon substrate; 
 a hydrocarbon gas; 
 a sealant configured to retain the hydrocarbon gas with at least a portion of the porous carbon substrate; 
   wherein the composition is a fuel composite.   
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein the fuel comprises gasoline, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, fuel oil, ethanol supplemented fuels such as E15 and E85, or biofuels and vegetable oils. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein the fuel comprises diesel. 
     
     
         18 . A process of preparing a composition comprising:
 mixing a fuel with a carbon-hydrocarbon gas composite; wherein the carbon-hydrocarbon gas composite comprises:
 a porous carbon substrate; 
 a hydrocarbon gas; 
 a sealant configured to retain the hydrocarbon gas with at least a portion of the porous carbon substrate; 
   wherein the composition is a fuel composite.   
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the mixing further comprises mixing the fuel and the carbon-hydrocarbon gas composite with a dispersant or surfactant.