Thermal Degradation and Spectroscopic study of Neat Palm Oil, Waste Palm Oil, and Waste Palm Oil Methyl Ester

Abstract

Research into finding an affordable, renewable, biodegradable and environmentally friendly alternative fuel to power compression ignition engine has been intensified in the past few decades. The application of waste palm oil (WPO) as feedstock for biodiesel has gained traction and has led to a decline in the production cost of biodiesel, and prevents the contamination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The present effort is geared towards characterization of neat palm oil (NPO), WPO and waste palm oil methyl ester (WPOME) through Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Derivative thermogravimetric (DTG), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Samples of NPO and WPO were collected from takeaway outlets. The WPO was converted into WPOME by transesterification. The outcome of DTG analysis showed that the vaporization of NPO, WPO, and WPOME occurred between 320 °C and 480 °C; 320 °C and 470 °C, and 27 °C and 103 °C respectively. The TGA analysis revealed that NPO, WPO, and WPOME exhibited similar thermal degradation trend and lost 98 %, 29 %, and 63 % of their weight respectively, during the one stage of thermal degradation. The spectra curve for NPO and WPO followed the same trend and achieve peaks at nearly the same wavelength of 1743 cm-1 while the peculiar peak of the spectra curve for WPOME occurred at 1022 cm-1. In conclusion, this work reinforces that usage and transesterification alters the thermal degradation and spectroscopic pattern of palm oil.