Trying to make Gasoline from scratch, figuring it out.

[black phantom]

Hey everyone,
I am trying to figure out how to do this, but I don't know where to start, can I use pressure, electricity, graphite, and pure hydrogen, do i need to melt the graphite, or maybe just dissolve it. I could use a little help, I know it may be cheaper to just buy it, but that defeats the purpose of the experiment.

 

[Borek]

Forget about it, it is not something that can be done at home.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer–Tropsch_process

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_liquefaction

 

[ChrisWhewell]

Just build a table-top Fischer-Tropfsch reactor. I mean, some guys build model railroads... Question is, are any chemists that sick so as to build scale-model chemical plants ? All we need is one eccentric billionaire chemist to fund the museum. :) I agree with the previous writer's sentiment.

 

[chemisttree]

If you can find a natural oil from either plant or animal that is fairly rich in C8-C12 fatty acids it is fairly straightforward. First, hydrolyze the oil into the free fatty acid with aqueous sodium hydroxide and work up the soap solution with acid and extract withhexane (or gasoline). treat the free fatty acid with either quicklime or slaked lime and heat until the free fatty acid salt decarboxylates. Distill the remainder to obtain an alkylate fuel. should be able to pull it off for about $20K in equipment and permits (50K-75K if you need to hire an engineer to figure out the details for you... education pays!) and you might be able to make gasoline for about $25/ gallon.

Easy peasy.

 

[SteamKing]

At least the OP is not trying to build a nuclear reactor on his kitchen table.