ARS | Publication request: Biodiesel from non-food alternative feed-stock

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 18, 2011
Publication Date: February 26, 2011
Citation: Shah, S., Sharma, B.K., Moser, B.R., Erhan, S.Z. 2011. Biodiesel from non-food alternative feed-stock [abstract]. Chemistry Section of the XXV Gujarat Science Conference, Ahmedabad, India, Feb. 26-27, 2011. p. 1.

Technical Abstract: As a potential feedstock for biodiesel (BD) production, Jojoba oil was extracted from Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis L.) plant seeds that contained around 50-60 wt.%, which were explored as non-food alternative feedstocks. Interestingly, Jojoba oil has long-chain wax esters and is not a typical triglyceride like vegetable oil. Jojoba oil methyl esters (JME) were prepared from acid-catalyzed pretreated jojoba oil in order to evaluate important fuel properties of jojoba-based BD. JME were characterized using spectroscopy techniques like FTIR, 1H and 13C-NMR. A comparison was made with relevant BD fuel ASTM and EN standards as well as commonly available BD from soybean oil (SME) and the low temperature properties (CP, PP, and CFPP) of JME were better than SME. The kinematic viscosity of JME was higher than observed for SME. Blends (B5 and B20) of JME in ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD) were also evaluated for the above-mentioned fuel properties and compared to an analogous set of blends of SME in ULSD and relevant petrodiesel ASTM fuel standard. In comparison to neat ULSD and blends of SME in ULSD, JME blends in ULSD displayed improved low temperature properties. In summing up, jojoba oil is prospective as an alternative, nonfood feedstock for BD production.