Waste oil turned into biodiesel in just 60 minutes, can power all types of vehicles
Chemists have also claimed that the reaction can be completed in under an hour at a temperature lower than that required to boil water.
Researchers have developed a novel method to produce biodiesel from waste oil. This simple process requires relatively mild heat and has the potential to make the alternative fuel source much more appealing to the massive industrial sectors.
Developed by UC Santa Cruz chemists, the process turns used vegetable oil into biodiesel.
They used sodium tetramethoxyborate (NaB(OMe)4), which is used to make the active ingredient that reacts with oil to make biodiesel. It allows the biofuel to be easily separated from the byproducts of production—by simply pouring them off, according to researchers.
Process can be completed in under an hour
Chemists have also claimed that the reaction can be completed in under an hour at temperatures as low as 40°C (104°F)—saving energy and money. Also, the resulting byproduct can be used to regenerate the most expensive ingredient in the production process.
“I always wanted to work on biodiesel,” said Kevin Lofgren, lead author and a Ph.D. student in chemistry at UC Santa Cruz. “I started exploring this new material that we made to see if it could attack the fats in oil to help catalyze biodiesel, and it all flowed from there.”
While individual consumers increasingly turn to solar and electric energy to power their homes and vehicles, America’s huge industrial sectors still rely on diesel fuel. Researchers have pointed out that the majority of the trucks, trains, and boats that ship goods around the world currently run on diesel engines and won’t be electrified any time soon, according to a press release.
Affordable method
It’s also being claimed that the biodiesel, which is an approved carbon-neutral fuel, can power vehicles without the need for engine modifications.
“This new method is special because it is simple and affordable. It has the bonus of being able to regenerate the starting material,” Lofgren added.
“It’s already low-cost enough to make it competitive. But if you can buy the most expensive ingredient once and then regenerate it, it would be more cost efficient in the long run.”
Published in the journal American Chemical Society journal Energy & Fuels, the study demonstrates the process that can produce biodiesel at a temperature lower than that required to boil water.
Scott Oliver, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and study co-author, stated that everybody needs energy—every farm, food production plant, and transportation vehicles depend on it.
“This could really impact people. This process can be done at just above room temperature and it’s reusable. You don’t need to have a refinery; you can potentially use this method on a farm.”
Article