Biobased lubricant from used cooking oils

Authors: Cermak, Steven - Steve; Moser, Jill; Isbell, Terry; BREDSGUARD, JAKOB - Biosynthetic Technologies; Lester, Gene; Murray, Rex

Submitted to: Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2017
Publication Date: 9/10/2017
Citation: Cermak, S.C., Moser, J.K., Isbell, T., Bredsguard, J.W., Lester, G.E., Murray, R.E. 2017. Biobased lubricant from used cooking oils [abstract]. Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops International Conference. p. 50.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: As more and more people look for healthy alternatives for cooking and frying oils, the opportunity to develop high-value products from these waste streams increases. Cooking oils that are often described as healthier contain higher levels of monounsaturated fats. NuSun® sunflower oil is an example of a healthier cooking/frying oil that is monounsaturated and rich with oleic type fats. Vegetable oils do not meet the current standards for industrial lubricants because of unacceptable low temperature properties, pour point (PP) and/or cloud point (CP). Estolide esters made from these used cooking oils could not only make biobased lubricants with excellent properties, but also aid with the disposal/resale of these waste oils. During the cooking/frying process, many oxidative products are produced which was unclear how this used oil would affect the estolide synthesis and resulting properties. Both new and used NuSun® cooking oils were used in the synthesis of the estolide 2-EH esters. The new and used cooking oil estolide esters had their physical properties reported and compared. From the series of different NuSun® cooking oil estolide esters produced, the used NuSun® cooking oil estolide ester displayed PP/CP = -33/-33 deg. C while the new NuSun® cooking oil estolide ester showed PP/CP = -36/-34 deg. C. As saturated fatty materials were added to the used NuSun® fatty acids during the estolide ester synthesis, the physical properties were improved. The coco-capped estolide esters had the best low temperature properties; the used coco-capped NuSun® cooking oil estolide ester had a PP/CP = -39/-35 deg. C. The viscosities of the used NuSun® cooking oil estolide esters ranged from 109.5-118.3 cSt at 40 deg. C to 17.2-18.4 cSt at 100 deg. C, while the new NuSun® cooking oil estolide esters ranged from 101.9-102.5 cSt at 40 deg. C to 16.3 cSt at 100 deg. C. These estolide esters had excellent physical properties without the need for additives and no adverse effects from the unwanted oxidative products found in used cooking oils.