Biodiesel Produced from Propanol and Longer Chain Alcohols—Synthesis and Properties

Mia Gotovuša, Ivan Pucko, Marko Racar and Fabio Faraguna
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Mia Gotovuša: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Pucko: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Marko Racar: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Fabio Faraguna: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 14, 1-21

Abstract: Biodiesel has established itself as a renewable fuel that is used in transportation worldwide and is partially or in some cases completely replacing conventional fuels. Chemically, biodiesel is a fatty acid monoalkyl ester (FAAE). Generally, the term biodiesel refers to the fatty acid methyl or ethyl esters (FAME or FAEE). Herein, an overview of the research on the synthesis of FAAE in which the alkyl moiety is a C 3+ alkyl chain (branched/unbranched) is given. In addition, a comparison of the properties of the aforementioned FAAE with each other, with FAME and FAEE, and with fuel standards is given. The length of the alkyl chain has a major influence on viscosity, while pour point temperatures are generally lower when branched alcohols are used, but the fatty acid part of the molecule also has a major influence. The development of new pathways for the synthesis of higher alcohols from biomass opens a future perspective for the production of long chain FAAE as biofuels, fuel additives, or biolubricants. Due to their properties, FAAEs produced from C 3 –C 5 alcohols have the potential to be used as fuels, while all C 3+ FAAEs can be used as valuable bioadditives, and C 8+ FAAEs can be used as biolubricants and viscosity improvers.

Keywords: fatty acid alkyl ester; propanol; butanol; pentanol; octanol; biodesel synthesis; fatty acid propyl esters; fatty acid butyl esters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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