Biolubricant Production from Palm Stearin Fatty Acidsand Pentaerythritol

Palm stearin was converted to biolubricant throughthechemical modification process.Saturated palm stearin fatty acids (SPSFA) and unsaturated palm stearin fatty acids (UPSFA)were reacted with pentaerythritol (PE)viaFischer esterification to produce SPE-ester andUPE-ester. Both esters were successfully synthesized in a three-necked round bottom flaskbased on four parameters, and these werereaction temperature, reaction time, sulphuric acid(H2SO4) concentration asa catalyst and the molar ratio of reactants fixed to 5:1 for bothSPSFA:PE and UPSFA:PE. About 69% of SPE-esters and 61% of UPE-esters were produced.Products characterization was performed by Fouriertransformation infraredspectroscopy,proton,and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-and13C-NMR) spectroscopy analysistechniques. The presence of ester carboxyl band,v(C=O)wasat 1742 cm-1for both SPE-esterand UPE-ester. SPE-ester and UPE-ester recorded their pour point at 44ºC and 9ºC,theflashpoint at 243ºC (SPE-ester) and 232ºC (UPE-esters), viscosity index about 140 (SPE-ester) and151 (UPE-ester), oxidative stability at 269ºC for SPE-ester and 238ºC for UPE-ester. SPE-ester and UPE-estercouldbe categorized asISO VG 46andISO VG 100grade lubricant,respectively.