L. Yao, E. Hammond, Tong Wang
Mar 31, 2010
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0
Influential Citations
47
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Journal
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Abstract
The desire to replace petroleum-based materials with environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives has stimulated the development of vegetable oil-based materials as biolubricants. Our studies have focused on molecules that might be produced by biosynthesis of genetically altered oilseed plants with limited post-harvest modification. Various ricinoleate and 12-hydroxystearate esters and estolides were synthesized and their melting points and viscosities were documented. The antifriction and antiwear properties of some esters were evaluated with a microtribometer. The purities of all the products were >98–99% by gas chromatography. Some of these compounds showed melting points, viscosities, and lubricity suitable for uses as biolubricants. Various ricinoleate esters acylated at the 12 positions with short-chain acids were particularly promising.