Biodiesel prepared from vegetable oils may present high content of unsaturated methyl esters, especially poly-unsaturated ones, which can be easily oxidized forming products such as acids, alcohols, ketones, hydroperoxides, aldehydes and polymeric species. These products can affect biodiesel properties and cause engine problems. In this study we compare the oxidative stability of biodiesel samples obtained from castor and soybean oils using two oxidation methods, the Rancimat method and the PetroOxy method. Some properties were used to evaluate the oxidation behavior, such as total acid number, kinematic viscosity and specific gravity. Also, FTIR (Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy) was used to verify the biodiesel degradation products resulting from the accelerated oxidation.

Studies on the oxidation stability of biodiesel obtained from castor and soybean oils

242nd National Meeting (2011)

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