Author
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Cermak, Steven - Steve |
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Isbell, Terry |
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Submitted to: Industrial Crops and Products International Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 11/13/2001 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Cuphea is a new crop that has been grown throughout the Midwest. Cuphea produces medium chain fatty acids which are similar to those produced by coconut and palm kernel oils. The development of a new crop often depends on the synthesis of novel compounds. Estolides are one such derivative of new crop oils which show promise in industrial applications. The synthesis of complex and oleic estolides will be compared to the cuphea oleic estolides. Estolides are formed when the carboxylic acid functionality of one fatty acid links to the site of unsaturation of another fatty acid to form esters. Estolides were derived from a number of unsaturated fatty acids in the presence of varying equivalents of acid with no solvent with varying temperatures. The estolides were converted to their corresponding hydroxy fatty acid and the degree of polymerization was determined by GC analysis. The free acid estolides were then converted to the esters under standard conditions. Physical properties (pour points <-40C, viscosities) of these estolide acids and esters were compared to previous reported estolides, which have current industrial applications as a potential hydraulic fluid. The oxidative stability of the complex estolides were measured and formulated (~2%) to exceed commercially available products. |
