FAST AND RELIABLE METHOD FOR MONITORING EPOXIDATION REACTION IN RECYCLED VEGETABLE OILS (ERVO) USING FTIR-ATR TECHNIQUE
Author
Núñez, Christian
Vergara, Emilio
Lisperguer, Justo
Droguett, Cynthia
Abstract
Recycled oils had been a viable alternative for the generation of biodiesel and higher value-added derivatives. Among these derivatives are also bioplasticizers for polymers. Vegetable oils provide a sustainable alternative for plasticizers manufacture, due to the presence of their unsaturation a chemical modification by an epoxidation reaction is possible. Moreover, the use of recycled oils for bioplastificizers preparation is cheaper and profitable. However since it is a complex mixture of vegetable oils, prior characterization of the fatty acids variety making up the mixture to generate bioplasticizer is necessary. Costs associated with monitoring of these kinds of reactions are usually high.