Synthesis and Characterization of Biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil: A Problem-Based Green Chemistry Laboratory Experiment

Abstract

Students in a Green Chemistry laboratory course learned about clean energy and commercial-scale production of biodiesel from members of the Omaha Biofuels Cooperative. Students were presented with a "problem" to investigate several of the variables involved in synthesizing biodiesel from used cooking oil. Students were tasked to study a few of these variables, characterize their reaction products and report their findings. In this experiment, students investigated the following variables: oil identity, alcohol type, and catalyst amount and type. Students used both common biodiesel "field tests" and instrumental methods to characterize their biodiesel. Students learned how to communicate scientific results to both scientists and non-scientists via oral presentations, scientific reports and newspaper articles.