n-Nonane is a medium-chain n-alkane
representative of the light-end components found in jet and diesel
fuels. In this work, low-temperature (low-T) oxidation
of n-nonane was investigated in jet-stirred reactors
at near-atmospheric pressure, fuel-lean conditions (ϕ = 0.5),
an initial fuel concentration of 5000 ppm, a mean residence time of
2 s, and over a temperature range of 500–770 K. Reactants,
intermediates, and products were detected and identified by chromatography
and mass spectrometry. Gas-phase samples were analyzed by using synchrotron
vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry (SVUV-PIMS).
Liquid-phase samples were analyzed by two-dimensional gas chromatography
coupled with time-of-flight MS (GC × GC-TOF/MS) through flow
injection. Besides stable species, some other low-T oxidation species, which are the main first and second O2 addition products, were observed. Through the combination of theoretical,
chromatographic, and mass spectrometric results, clarification was
achieved regarding various isomers and their formation mechanisms
during the low-T oxidation of n-nonane.
In addition, simulations were performed using a literature kinetic
model to predict the reactivity of n-nonane and the
formation of crucial compounds, indicating that improvements are needed
to better describe the low-T oxidation of n-nonane under the present conditions. The results of this
study provide deep insight into the low-T oxidation
of n-nonane and contribute to the development of
kinetic models for n-nonane and larger-chain alkane
oxidation.