ARS | Publication request: Viscosity and Lubricity of Biodiesel Fuel Components

Submitted to: Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: March 5, 2004
Publication Date: May 15, 2004
Citation: Knothe, G.H., Steidley, K.R. 2004. Viscosity and lubricity of biodiesel fuel components [abstract]. Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Oil Chemists' Society. p. 77.

Technical Abstract: Viscosity and lubricity are important properties of diesel fuels. The kinematic viscosity, which is a property included in fuel standards, of biodiesel (alkyl esters of vegetable oils) is slightly higher than that of conventional, petroleum-derived diesel (petrodiesel) fuel. Here the kinematic viscosities of numerous neat fatty compounds were determined and compared to components of petrodiesel. Besides chain length, other structural features that were investigated included branching as well as presence and nature of double bonds. Viscosity influences lubricity, however, lubricity is largely affected by the presence of polar groups such as those found in fatty compounds. Lubricity of neat fatty compounds and components of petrodiesel was investigated using a high-frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR) lubricity tester. Generally, most neat fatty esters have good to excellent lubricity regardless of structure, while most petrodiesel components have poorer lubricity except those containing double bonds.