Application Of Method Developed For The Identification And Quantification Of Polar Components In Organic Liquid Products Of Selected Crop Oils And Deciphering The Mechanistic Aspects Of Cracking

<p>Pyrolysis is a fundamental thermochemical process that can be used to convert triacylglycerides (TGs) in crop oils into valuable chemicals that may replace petroleum products. Biofuels, complex mixtures containing hundreds of species, are generated by the pyrolysis of crop oils. Presence of fatty acids (FAs) will limit the applicability of plant oils as biofuels since they are corrosive and form wax-like crystals at a cloud point that would plug filters. However, short chain FAs have a high commercial value as byproducts of biofuel production. The understanding of mechanism of pyrolysis may reveal pathways for production of favorable products. These pathways are expected to depend on the type of TG feedstock with differing FA composition; for instance, the acyl chain length and number of double bonds.</p> <p>Linear saturated FAs <C11 were formed selectively, with a specific homological pattern featuring peaks at C2-C3, C7 and C9-C10. The reaction pathways explaining formation are proposed. The relative abundance of these three groups of FAs varied among the feedstocks used due to variations in the double-bond pattern; i.e., the abundance of monounsaturated (oleic), diunsaturated (linoleic) and triunsaturated (linolenic) acids in the original TGs. Unsaturated FAs were recovered in small amounts only for the original TG-comprising FAs (C18). The other group of minor products were C5-C12 dicarboxylic acids. The observed product speciation and homology profiles were explained by the formation of acyloxyl biradicals as essential reactive intermediates.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemistry

Year

2014

Author dc:creator

• Geetla, Ashwini

Contributors dc:contributor

• Alena Kubatova
• Evguenii Kozliak

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.und.edu/theses/1536

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.und.edu:theses-2537