Modification of Canola Oil Properties Using Ethyl Oleate and <i>n</i>-Hexane

Abstract

Canola oil (rapeseed oil, RO), despite being a potential source of biofuel, needs some modifications of its properties to be effectively used as a fuel. The reason RO needs to be altered lies above all in its viscosity, fatty acid composition, and other chemical properties, which affect its efficiency as a fuel. These properties of RO can be changed by mixing it with various bioadditives, among other methods. For this reason, studies of the physicochemical properties of mixtures including RO, n-hexane (Hex), and ethyl oleate (EO) were carried out. These mixtures were prepared at a constant EO concentration and a ratio of n-hexane in the mixture with RO in the range from 0 to 1. For these mixtures, the surface tension, density and viscosity were measured. The obtained results were considered to determine the chemical properties of particular components of the mixtures. From these considerations, it results that based on the properties of these components, the surface tension and density of the studied mixtures can be described, and their viscosity can be predicted. These facts and results of the measurements suggest that based on the properties of the mixture components, we can determine the composition of a mixture whose surface tension, density, and viscosity are close to those of diesel fuel. The results obtained from the measurements also suggest that the addition of 10% n-hexane to RO causes a considerable reduction in the surface tension, viscosity, and density of RO. The addition of 10% of EO to this mixture results in a further reduction in RO + Hex viscosity and increases its density and surface tension slightly. As such, a mixture of RO with Hex and EO may be appropriate as a biofuel.

Keywords

• canola oil
• surface tension
• density
• viscosity
• diesel fuel