New microemulsion systems using diesel and vegetable oils

The need to rationalize the use of the conventional existing fuels, associated to the impositions of severe legislation for controlling the level of emissions, has been demanding the development of optional fuels and the increase in the efficiency of the current engines. This study presents new microemulsion systems containing diesel and different percentages of vegetable oils (soy, palm and ricin), that can be used as alternative fuels. in parameters that influence the microemulsion area, such as, nature of surfactant (T) and cosurfactant (C), C/T ratio and composition of the oil phase, have been studied. sults showed that it was possible to obtain new microemulsion systems with different oil phase composition (mixtures of diesel and vegetable oils), whose properties indicate the possibility to apply them as alternative fuels.