Thermal and Oxidative Degradation of Castor Oil Biodiesel

Biodiesel is defined as the monoalkyl ester derivative of long-chain fatty acids, originated from renewable
sources, such as vegetable oils or animal fats. The most common use of biodiesel is direct substitution of
fossil fuels in compression−ignition engines. The heating of vegetable oils can cause complementary
decomposition reactions, in which the results can also lead to the formation of polymeric compounds. This
work has been carried out to study the degradation process of biodiesel in different temperatures and exposure
times. The degradation process of biodiesel affected its thermogravimetric and calorimetric profiles, indicating
the formation of intermediary compounds. The spectroscopic data of degraded biodiesel suggested oxidative
polymerization, confirming thermal data. In the degraded biodiesel at 210 °C for 48 h, the formation of gum
occurred, indicating that oxidative polymerization was completed.