Ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer: A bio-based cold flow improver for waste cooking oil derived biodiesel blends

This study was conducted to determine the cold flow properties of biodiesel–diesel blends (waste cooking oil derived biodiesel blended with 0# diesel) with ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVAC) as the cold flow improver. The cloud point, cold filter plugging point and pour point of B20 (20 vol.% biodiesel + 80 vol.% 0# diesel) decreased by 8 °C, 11 °C and 10 °C, respectively, after 0.04 wt.% EVAC treatment. The impacts of EVAC on the kinematic viscosity, total glycerol, oxidation stability, acid value and flash point of B20 were also determined. The B20 samples treated with EVAC satisfied ASTM D6751. The crystallization behavior of the blend was investigated via differential scanning calorimetry. The crystallization rate and crystal content of B20 decreased. EVAC is therefore an effective bio-based cold flow improver for biodiesel blends.