ARS | Publication request: Surface Tension Measurements on Oleochemicals Derived from Soybean Oil

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: June 1, 2008
Publication Date: October 13, 2008
Citation: Doll, K.M., Moser, B.R., Erhan, S.Z. 2008. Surface Tension Measurements on Oleochemicals Derived from Soybean Oil [abstract}. Industrial Application of Renewable Resources 2008 Program Book. p. 16.

Technical Abstract: We report the surface tension measurements, at a variety of temperatures, for a variety of alkyl esters; in olefinic, epoxy, and branched ester forms. Because these compounds are potential fuel or lubricant additives, this physical data is valuable, and currently unreported in the literature. For example, the evaluation of the atomization efficiency of a compound is inversely proportional to its surface tension. Overall, the surface tensions measured for each of the compounds ranged from 25.9 mN m-1 to 30.2 mN m-1, significantly below the values commonly observed for triacylglyceride oils, ~35 mN m-1. Several interesting trends were uncovered including: Increasing the quantity of epoxidation increases the surface tension of an oleochemical. Linear increase in the size of the headgroup on an alkyl ester has a minimal effect. Introduction of branching decreases surface tension. Finally, the observed surface tensions of the mixtures, ordinary biodiesel or epoxy biodiesel, are intermediate between the two largest components of those mixtures.