In situ epoxidation of waste soybean cooking oil for synthesis of biolubricant basestock: A process parameter optimization and comparison with RSM, ANN, and GA

Abstract

In this work, the use of artificial neural networks (ANNs) as an alternative tool for modelling and predicting the optimum conversion of the unsaturated fatty acid to epoxide in comparison with the response surface methodology (RSM) was developed. In the present investigation, waste soybean cooking oil (WCO) as biolubricant basestock was prepared via structural modification of unsaturated fatty acids (in situ epoxidation). Optimization of the effect of process parameters on maximum oxirane oxygen content (OOC) was studied using RSM. Interaction among the process parameters, such as C=C bonds to H2O2 molar ratio, catalyst loading, and reaction time was examined by ANOVA. The main focus of this study was to establish optimum OOC conditions using sulphuric acid (H2SO4) as a homogeneous acid catalyst. Optimum OOC of epoxidized waste soybean cooking oil (EWCO) was found to be 4.69 mass% under the experimental conditions of 60 °C temperature, 6 h reaction time, 1.5 g of catalyst loading, and 1:2 molar ratio of C=C bonds to H2O2. The resultant epoxide product was confirmed with the help of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) (at 844.82 cm−1) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) (at δ 2.8 to δ 3.1 ppm) analysis. Significant physicochemical properties of the prepared lubricant basestock were evaluated at optimum conditions using standard methods. Further, ANN modelling and genetic algorithm (GA) optimization were carried out by using an identical dataset. The results of the study revealed that the chemically modified WCO derivatives also can act as a potential biolubricant basestock.

Biodiesel and biolubricant production from different vegetable oils through transesterification

“…As a consequence, several oils from various raw materials, including vegetable oils (such as palm, rapeseed, jatropha or castor oil) and frying oils (from soy, sunflower or corn oils), have been studied for the production of biodiesel or biolubricants. 1,[10][11][12] For biolubricant production, several chemical reactions have been developed to prepare biodegradable lubricants, enhancing its thermal and oxidation stability to withstand within wide operating conditions. Among them, epoxidation and transesterification are the most popular chemical routes to obtain biolubricants from vegetable oils.…”

“…This way, many of these properties are transferred to the subsequent derivatives, like biodiesel or biolubricants. As a consequence, several oils from various raw materials, including vegetable oils (such as palm, rapeseed, jatropha or castor oil) and frying oils (from soy, sunflower or corn oils), have been studied for the production of biodiesel or biolubricants 1,10‐12 . For biolubricant production, several chemical reactions have been developed to prepare biodegradable lubricants, enhancing its thermal and oxidation stability to withstand within wide operating conditions.…”

Experimental methods in chemical engineering: Artificial neural networks–ANNs

“…Eng. ), ANNs are unbounded—we apply them across all specialties including polymerization, oil production, battery heating, modelling, control of industrial plants, and catalysis. Most of this research applies commercial software packages like the MATLAB Deep Learning Toolbox.…”

“…The radial basis function networks generated the response surfaces of catalyst life as a function of the physicochemical properties of additives or ZSM‐5 composition. Paul et al substituted a response surface methodology with an ANN to model and predict the optimum conversion of unsaturated fatty acid to epoxide.…”

The Lord of the Chemical Rings: Catalytic Synthesis of Important Industrial Epoxide Compounds

“…The classical Prilezhaev epoxidation oleic acid was epoxidized with high yield using homogeneous catalysts such as sulphuric acid. Thorough studies of various vegetable oils have been performed by the group of Goud, where sulphuric acid was the catalyst, such as cotton oil [64], mahua [118], as waste cooking oil [119].…”