Palm Oil Research Articles

Estamaran date vinegar: chemical and microbial dynamics during fermentation.

Vinegar is a fermented food produced by alcoholic and then acetic acid microbial metabolism. Date palm fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a valuable source for the production of vinegar. Microbial identification has a major role in the improvement and bio-management of the fermentation process of vinegar. Estamaran and Kabkab two varieties of date palm fruit were selected to study the fermentation process. A culture-dependent approach was used to study bacterial dynamics. 16S rRNA gene was amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), also restriction enzyme analysis with HinfI and TaqI, and sequencing was done. Assessment of microbial flora of date palm fruit during fermentation showed that Fructobacillus tropaeoli, Bacillus sp., Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, and Weissella paramesenteroides existed in the first phase of fermentation. With fermentation progress, microbial diversity decreased so only one species remained. Komagataeibacter xylinus as an acid acetic producer was present in the third phase of fermentation. Based on chemical analysis, the concentration of reducing sugars decreased during fermentation. With decreasing pH, a simultaneous increase in acidity and total phenolic compounds occurred. The trend of changes during Estamaran fermentation was more severe and a vinegar with desirable properties was produced. Therefore, this date variety is recommended for the production of date vinegar.

Transcription factor EgGRP2A regulates EgFATA expression and promotes oleic acid accumulation in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis)

The oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is emerging as the world's most important and prolific oilseed crop, celebrated for its impressive oil yield. However, the molecular intricacies that govern lipid metabolism and fatty acid accumulation in oil palm fruits remain relatively underexplored. This study reveals a significant correlation between the expression of EgGRP2A, a transcription factor, and the expression of EgFATA in the oil palm. Yeast one-hybrid analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) reveal and confirm the binding interactions between EgGRP2A and the promoter region of EgFATA. Subsequent experiments in oil palm protoplasts show that transient overexpression of EgGRP2A leads to a marked upregulation of EgFATA expression. Conversely, downregulation of EgGRP2A in transgenic oil palm embryoids leads to a significant reduction in EgFATA expression. Metabolite profiling in the transgenic embryoids reveals a significant reduction in unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid. These findings promise profound insights into the regulatory orchestration of EgFATA and the synthesis of fatty acids, particularly oleic acid, in the oil palm. Furthermore, the results lay the foundation for future breeding and genetic improvement efforts aimed at increasing oleic acid content in oil palm varieties.

Site occupancy of native terrestrial mammals in oil palm landscapes is driven by the synergy of land sparing and sharing strategies

The conversion of tropical rainforests into industrial oil palm monocultures has detrimental effects of local biodiversity. Although some medium-sized mammals have demonstrated a degree of adaptability in oil palm landscapes, the factors that influence their ability to persist in such human-altered environments remain obscure. Here, we investigated the site occupancy and activity pattern of the mammals in oil palm landscapes in Peninsular Malaysia. We deployed 81 camera traps throughout six oil palm cultivation areas with two distinct management styles (three sites each in organized smallholdings and industrial plantations). Smallholdings had higher site occupancy of native animal species than industrial plantations. The site occupancy of the mammals was influenced by the proximity to continuous forest, forest patches and riparian vegetation. Landscape metrics are characteristics that affect land sparing strategy, allowing wildanimals in agricultural landscapes to thrive in their habitat despite human threats. At stand-level, the detection of animals was determined by elevation, undergrowth vegetation cover/height, canopy cover, oil palm height, quantity of oil palm fruits, and prune stack thickness. Mammal occupancy was higher in the smallholdings due to the proximity to continuous forest. We recommend improving landscape heterogeneity and connectivity in oil palm matrix to promote species mobility and diversifying oil palm management away from monoculture farming. Our findings indicate that incorporating land sharing and sparing strategies into the oil palm matrix is necessary to conserve biodiversity and maintain ecological services. This implies that industry stakeholders ought not to disregard either land sparing or land sharing.

Analysis of current state, gaps, and opportunities for technologies in the Malaysian oil palm estates and palm oil mills towards net-zero emissions

Malaysia is the second largest producer and exporter of palm oil. Though several works have explored achieving emissions reduction in the palm oil sector, there existing gaps in analysing pathways for achieving net-zero emissions. Moreover, there are limited studies that evaluate the potential of palm oil biomass utilisation pathways based on emissions reduction capabilities, the cost of emissions reduction, and the technology readiness for implementation. Therefore, this study analysed decarbonisation pathways for the upstream and midstream segments of the palm oil sector in Malaysia, encompassing oil palm plantations and palm oil mills. Various sources of greenhouse gas emissions in oil palm plantations and palm oil mills were identified and estimates of emissions were determined as theoretical emissions. The current emissions were established based on the current best practice in the plantation and mill. Several biomass conversion technologies for the recovery of palm-based by-products and conversion into value-added products to decarbonise the palm oil sector and evaluated strategies to attain net-zero status are considered. In this work, the analysis considered both the existing technologies that are adopted by plantations and mills as well as the emerging technologies that have scope for implementation. With the proposed approach, the current emissions level for crude palm oil (CPO) production in Malaysia is estimated as 1121.49 kg CO2-eq/t CPO. In current industry practice, empty fruit bunch (EFB) is underutilised as mills are typically located at rural areas with lack of suitable transportation. Besides, the lack of accessibility to the grid also limits the potential of converting EFB into electricity as supply for national grid. This work examined various pathways for EFB utilisation under different scenarios evaluating their contribution potential towards net-zero target in an energy self-sustained CPO production. As shown in the results, converting EFB to briquettes and pellets are able to achieve the net-zero objective. Furthermore, EFB-biochar and EFB-syngas pathways also exhibit the potential to accomplish the net-zero target. Note that this work also assessed the technologies’ readiness levels, identified challenges in implementation, and proposed several recommendations.

Genotypic effects on accelerated propagation of oil palm breeding materials selected (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) using somatic embryogenesis

Vegetable oil production from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is an important industry due to the rising demand every year. The somatic embryogenesis culture can propagate oil palm duplicate as the parent, which can be selected as breeding material to produce new planting germplasm with high production or disease resistance. This study aims to evaluate the genotypic effect of somatic embryogenesis, while immature leaflets were employed as explants. The culture used medium embryo induction based on Murashige and Skoog (MS) modifications that contained 5 mg/l Naphthalene Acetic acid (NAA) and 0.5 mg/l Benzyl Amino Purine (BAP). The genotypic effect was statistically significant in the percentage of callus induction, producing somatic embryos, and germination embryos. In this study, we successfully cloned thirteen oil palm genotypes (GE-02, GE-03, GE-06, GE-07, GE-09, GE-23, GE-24, GE-27, GE-28, GE-32, GE-33, GE-34, and GE-35), with the highest number of somatic embryos formed on GE-27 with a percentage of 70.1%. The cloning was successful in accelerating the propagation of oil palm for materials breeding programs to create new varieties with high production and disease resistance. It is necessary to observation the performance of the clones in the field in terms of mantle flower appearance.

Customized 3D printing to build plant-based meats: Spirulina platensis protein-based Pickering emulsion gels as fat analogs

To expand the application of emulsion gels as fat replacers in food systems, they were applied as fat analogs for plant-based meats by single-channel and dual-channel 3D printing. Spirulina platensis protein, as sustainable food sources, exhibits excellent emulsifying ability and has been generated into nanoparticles to stabilize emulsions. Three novel fat analogs: spirulina platensis protein nanoparticle based Pickering emulsions gels (SPP); nanoparticles/xanthan gum-based emulsions gels (SPP-XG); nanoparticles/xanthan gum/sunflower wax-based emulsions gels (Bigel); and three conventional oils: coconut oil; palm oil; and oleogel were regarded as fat components. The fat and protein components blended for printing by single-channel 3D printing, resulting in a new type of plant-based meats with extremely high printing accuracy and exhibiting “print inflation”. It exhibited lower hardness, which was conducive to chew compared with control ones. The water mobility was weakened as showed in LF-NMR, meaning the improved water holding capacity of plant-based meats. Protein and oil matrix were loaded into two printing cartridges respectively for dual-channel 3D printing, Bigels and palm oil (PO) served as a comparison of oil types. The cooking loss and shrinkage of Bigel-based plant-based meats obtained by this method were at extremely low level with 4.81% ~ 6.20% and 5.16% ~ 7.72%, respectively. As the oil content increased to 60%, the PO-plant-based meats collapsed and lost their printing structure, while Bigel-plant-based meats exhibited better printing effects, which can be regarded as an ideal special fat for 3D printing to construct plant-based meats.

Hydroxyl radical-regulated crystallization of hierarchical H-ZSM-5 at low temperatures for palm oil conversion into high aromatic green gasoline

Biofuel is a sustainable fuel that is more environmentally friendly. Common biofuel processing is pyrolysis, which requires high energy. The use of appropriate catalysts can reduce the activation energy and increase product selectivity. H-ZSM-5 has excellent characteristics as a catalyst. However, hierarchical H-ZSM-5 has better characteristics because catalyst deactivation can be minimized and substrate diffusion increased. Generally, the H-ZSM-5 crystallization rate is relatively slow; in this research, OH radicals (OH) have successfully increased the crystallization rate of hierarchical H-ZSM-5. A successful synthesis of H-ZSM-5 was confirmed based on FTIR spectra and XRD diffractogram, which showed characteristic peaks in H-ZSM-5 for both TR-3 (H-ZSM-5 synthesized using OH for three days) and TN-3 (H-ZSM-5 synthesized without OH for three days). The use of OH shows an increase in the rate constant up to 3 times, producing highly crystalline TR-3. The use of OH also affected the morphology of H-ZSM-5, where TR-3 crystals tended to be more spheric with a larger size than TN-3. Porosity analysis showed higher porosity and better mesoporous features, where SBET increased from 309 to 373 m2/g, and Sext increased from 226 to 237 m2/g. This gave good effects on the catalytic ability of TR-3 compared to TN-3 by increasing gasoline yield in palm oil cracking from 35.91 wt% to 38.82 wt%, while the enhancement of the mesoporous features successfully inhibiting coke formation on the catalyst from 3.23 wt% becomes 2.02 wt% so that catalyst deactivation can be minimized.

Jet fuel production via palm oil hydrodeoxygenation over bifunctional zeolite mixture supported Ni catalyst: Effect of Si/Al ratio

The influence of the Si/Al ratio of ZSM-5 on 10 wt% Ni/ZSM-5.SAPO-11 catalysts were investigated through the palm oil hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) process, based on the product selectivity of alternative jet fuel. This study utilizes a 1 L batch reactor at 60 bar and 350 °C for palm oil hydrodeoxygenation over 10 wt% Ni/ZSM-5.SAPO-11 catalysts. Si/Al ratio of 50 produces a 10 wt% Ni/ZSM-5.SAPO-11 catalyst with the optimum physicochemical properties for palm oil hydrodeoxygenation. TGA/DTG analysis of the spent catalyst shows that the catalyst has good thermal and catalyst stability with minor carbon deposition. GC/MS analysis also demonstrated a 100 % palm oil conversion to alternative jet fuel. The highest jet fuel yield of 51 % was attained with a Si/Al ratio of 50. The physicochemical properties of alternative jet fuel samples were measured to ensure that the conventional fuel standard limits were appropriately followed. These results indicated that such types of bifunctional Ni-based catalysts have the potential to be used in the conversion of triglycerides to alternative jet fuel.

Fabrication of Human Milk Fat Substitute: Based on the Similarity Evaluation Model and Computer Software.

We aimed to obtain the optimal formula for human milk fat substitute (HMFS) through a combination of software and an evaluation model and further verify its practicability through an animal experiment. The results showed that a total of 33 fatty acid (FA) and 63 triglyceride (TAG) molecular species were detected in vegetable oils. Palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, 18:1/16:0/18:1, 18:2/16:0/18:2, 18:1/18:1/18:1 and 18:1/18:2/18:1, were the main molecular species among the FAs and TAGs in the vegetable oils. Based on the HMFS evaluation model, the optimal mixed vegetable oil formula was blended with 21.3% palm oil, 2.8% linseed oil, 2.6% soybean oil, 29.9% rapeseed oil and 43.4% maize oil, with the highest score of 83.146. Moreover, there was no difference in the weight, blood routine indices or calcium and magnesium concentrations in the feces of the mice between the homemade mixed vegetable oil (HMVO) group and the commercial mixed vegetable oil (CMVO) group, while nervonic acid (C24:1) and octanoic acid (C8:0) were absorbed easily in the HMVO group. Therefore, these results demonstrate that the mixing of the different vegetable oils was feasible via a combination of computer software and an evaluation model and provided a new way to produce HMFS.

Amphiphilic layered double hydroxides enhance plant-mediated delivery of dsRNAs to phloem‑feeding planthoppers

RNA interference (RNAi) is an emerging tool in crop protection by exogenous applications of double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) to silence the expression of essential pest genes. Nevertheless, topical delivery of dsRNAs to sap-sucking insects is a major challenge due to the insufficient infiltration and translocation to plant vascular. Foliar sprayed layered double hydroxide (LDH) showed insufficient translocation in plant vascular and the supplement of surfactants caused phytotoxicity to plant. Thus, in the present study, LDH was transformed from hydrophilic to amphiphilic by fatty acids modification to obtain a surfactant-like LDH (LDHS) with good leaf adhesion, translocation and excellent biocompatibility. LDHS was synthesized via a mild hydrothermal method using MgCl2, FeCl3 and palm oil as the precursors, resulting in LDH coated with long-chained carboxylates as hydrophobic tails. LDHS showed good binding affinity with dsRNA and high affinity to rice leaves. Once loaded with dsRNA, LDHS were shown to enhance the uptake of dsRNA to rice brown planthoppers (Nilaparvata lugens) through a direct spray. Moreover, in planta, dsRNA-LDHS exhibited translocation from rice leaves to vascular bundles and finally into the planthoppers, delivered 2.5-fold higher dsRNA and caused higher mortalities of planthoppers than hydrophilic LDH with adjuvants. Herein we generate and validate a platform that can deliver dsRNA through either direct sprays or sprayed living plant to brown planthoppers with high efficiency, low toxicity and adjuvant-free. Consequently, it is a green potential selection using amphiphilic LDHS agents instead of the conventional gene carriers to prepare biopesticide nanoparticles.

Holocene vegetation and climatic changes in the coastal tropical rainforests of Nigeria

A Mid-Late Holocene palynological and charcoal record of vegetation and climatic changes in the tropical rainforest of West Africa is presented based on sediment cores from four localities in southwest Nigeria. The localities namely Ahanve, Ogudu, Otolu-Lekki and Ikorigho are situated along gradients in riverine and coastal systems that drain into the Atlantic Ocean. The aim was to reconstruct the vegetation history of the tropical rainforest, infer past climate variabilities and ascertain the presence of humans and their impact on the landscape. The record shows that the Mid Holocene, c.6600-5600 BP, was characterised by predominantly diverse and extensive tropical rain forests that comprised lowland rainforest, mangrove swamp forest and freshwater swamp forest that are consistent with the African Humid Phase (AHP); climatic conditions were warm and wet with high sea levels. In the early stages of the Late Holocene, there is evidence of decline in the tropical rainforests with brief spells of climatic variability signalling the gradual end of the AHP. Subsequently, the pollen record revealed evidence of forest disturbance: specifically the replacement of the mangroves and lowland rainforests by coastal savannas and an Elaeis guineensis-dominated secondary forest, respectively, in Ahanve at cal. 3100 yr BP; and the decline and eventual recovery of the vegetation types in Ogudu after cal. 2760-2730 yr BP. These environmental disturbances are attributed to prolonged period of increased desiccation within a warm climate as well as the differentia in marine and riverine influence of both localities. Further decline in the tropical rainforest after cal. 1240-1200 yr BP were accompanied by substantial increase in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), the emergence of exotic plants of South American and Asian origin, substantial increases in charcoal particles that were complemented by archaeological data. The pollen and charcoal data have shown that the decline of the tropical rain forests in the area beginning from the late Holocene was initially climate driven while subsequent and recent decline has been exacerbated by anthropogenic factors.

Dimension stability, tensile and thermomechanical properties of bamboo/oil palm fibre reinforced bio-epoxy hybrid biocomposites

The rising liability to suffer the environment eco-friendly covers the approach to the improvement of materials with bio-natural wastes. This research experimentally aims to study bamboo/oil palm reinforced bio-epoxy hybrid composite. Bamboo (B) and oil palm (O) reinforced bio-epoxy was fabricated as a control. The fabricated biocomposites were characterised by mechanical properties (tensile tests), physical characterisations (density, water absorption (WA) and thickness swelling (TS)), thermomechanical analysis (TMA), and morphological (scanning electron microscopy (SEM)). Among the hybrid composites, 5B5O has the highest tensile strength and modulus which is 35.66 MPa and 4.95 GPa, respectively. Based on the findings, the physical properties, WA and TS capacities (WA and TS) of B and 3B7O biocomposites were increased compared with all corresponding biocomposites while the O biocomposite exhibited lower TS and WA values compared to other samples. The hybrid 3B7O biocomposite sample was attributed to a higher void percentage (6.29%) and lower density (1.25 g/cm3) compared to other biocomposites. Generally, the SEM analysis of hybrid biocomposites confirms a valuable interaction between the filler and the matrix as further penetration for the matrix was permitted into the greatly porous structures of natural fibres. Furthermore, the SEM test of the fracture point confirmed the observations from the mechanical properties. The obtained findings confirmed that hybrid fibres improve the properties of the bio-epoxy matrix and can be utilised as sustainable and renewable biocomposites for several applications such as automotive tools, furniture and medical tools.

Soil health indicators in oil palm agroforestry systems in the eastern Amazon, Brazil

Agroforestry systems (AFSs) are generally recognized for improving soil health and increasing soil carbon (C) stock. In the Amazon region, oil palm AFSs have been promoted as a productive strategy and may offer an additional benefit of recovering degraded areas. Our objective was to evaluate whether the management practices adopted in oil palm AFSs affect soil health indicators and C stock. We carried out a study in Tomé-Açu, state of Pará, eastern Amazon, through which we evaluated two oil palm AFSs that differed in species diversity: higher diversity (AFShigh) and lower diversity (AFSlow). We used a regenerating forest (FOR) to compare with the oil palm AFSs, as regenerating forests are also a model of environmental recovery in the eastern Amazon. In the 0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm soil layers, we evaluated chemical indicators (active acidity (pH), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), and aluminum (Al)), (b) physical indicators (density (SD) and stability of aggregates (AGGRE)), and (c) biological indicators (permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), particulate organic carbon (POC), total soil carbon (SOC content) and root stock (ROOT)). We also evaluated the total soil carbon stock (SOC stock). The values of the biological indicators in the most superficial layer, especially the C indicators, were higher in the AFSlow (C content: 1.63 ± 0.13%, POXC: 568 ± 17 mg kg−1, POC: 0.63 ± 0.10 g kg−1) and the AFShigh (C: 1.84 ± 0.04%, POXC: 656 ± 24 mg kg−1, POC: 0.83 ± 0.06 g kg−1) than in FOR (C: 1.35 ± 0.09%, POXC: 336 ± 10 mg kg−1, POC: 0.44 ± 0.03 g kg−1). In general, the values of chemical indicators were higher in the AFSs than in FOR, except for the Al content, which was higher in FOR than in the AFSs. The physical indicators did not show a specific pattern of variation between the AFSs and FOR; aggregate stability was higher in FOR (range throughout the soil profile: 5.57 ± 0.09 to 5.38 ± 0.24 mm) than in the AFSlow (5.41 ± 0.03 to 3.79 ± 0.07 mm) and the AFShigh (5.07 ± 0.01 to 3.79 ± 0.11 mm) in all the soil layers, and soil density was higher in the AFShigh and FOR than in the AFSlow in most subsurface layers. Therefore, oil palm AFSs improve the chemical and biological health of the soil, especially in the more superficial layers, but it does not improve the physical health of the soil when compared to the forest.

Nano cells from fruit bunch residue: Nestling nanotechnology within the circular oil palm milling residue management

Nano-structured materials gain a vast market acceptance mainly due to their overarching endurance. Nanofibrillar cellulose (NFC) is one example of an augmenting agent unviable for production by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) due to the underlying process complexity. This study aims to characterise the NFC-alternative cells denoted as TRX-cellsⓇ, which is a mix of cellulose and non-cellulose components, ruling out its status as ‘cellulose nanofibers, CNF’. The aim to test-fit the TRX-cells® production process into the circularity model was executed by deliberating on the usability of the byproduct. In doing so, fibrous oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) was treated with dioxydanyl radicals (DIOR) and homogenised. The rapid EFB-DIOR reaction at 70°C targeting dearomatisation reaction in a 10%-solid open system was performed before refining the DIOR-treated EFB to micro-scale fibres. Subjecting the micro-fibres to 17 kWh/mt PFI-milling yielded 85–95% of nano-scale fibrous mass. Relative to the stiff micro-fibres, the nano-scale cells web exhibit 34–41% softness enhancement judged from the web tear resistance profile associated with inter-fibre space reduction. Advanced chromatographic evidence for 27% xylan amongst TRX-cells®’ total aldo-sugars was one form of the non-cellulose nano-component. High-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy hyphenated to Energy Dispersive Analysis of X-ray (HRTEM-EDX) elemental mapping showed a 0.4 atomic percentage of nano-biominerals, confirming the presence of the redistributed dearomatised cells adjacent to cellulose held in the web of the hemicellulose. Shearing at the dearomatised inter-cell wall layers by PFI mill peeled 5 nm–100 nm thickness laminae. The smorgasbord of cellulose and non-celluloses resulted in crystallinity comparable to softwood NFC of approximately 60%, with unique preservation and precision-printing enabling properties. Given the non-recyclability of the DIOR-treated EFB microfibres, nestling the rapid waste transformation process into the circularity model shed light on circular bio-nanotechnology to the spectrum of opportunity for zero-waste, reduced emission and net zero carbon practices on top of an added value from waste transformation to a product.

Influence of loading on the heat transfer rate and specific water consumption of detached loosed fresh palm fruits during vertical mini-batch sterilization

This study presents the effect of loading on the heat transfer rate and specific water consumption of detached loosed fresh palm fruits during sterilization. Sterilization is an integral process of palm oil extraction that consumes a lot of water. However, most industrial research in the past focused on fresh fruit bunch (FFB) sterilization dynamics. At the same time, the medium- and small-scale industries sterilize already detached loosed fresh palm fruits (LFPF) that have been removed from the spikelet as purchased from aggregators. Therefore, the process data generated from the sterilization of FFB might not be optimal for sterilizing LFPF. This study, therefore, investigates the transient response of variation in LFPF loading of the sterilization chamber to steam injection during steam sterilization of LFPF at 3 ± 0.5 bars using a vertical, single-peak LFPF sterilizer that combines the boiler and sterilizer in a single unit. The LFPF were loaded at mass intervals of 0.2 kg ranging from 0.2 kg to 2 kg. The vapour temperature dynamics, heat transfer rate, steam energy utilization efficiency and specific water consumption parameters were studied. The average vapour temperature varied from 100 °C to 130 °C for the LFPF mass range of 0.2 to 2 kg at steam injection temperature of 140 °C and pressure of 3 ± 0.5 bars. This temperature range matched the saturated vapour temperature of pure water at 1.0––2.8 bars absolute pressure but slightly lower than the saturated vapour temperature of 133.54 °C for pure steam at 3 bars. The percentage of steam energy utilization effectiveness is inversely related to the steam mass flow rate. While energy effectiveness increased with loading mass, the steam mass flow rate decreased with increased LFPF mass. The value of the heat transfer rate ranged between 1.7––55.4 W, while the specific heat transfer rate ranged between 8.5–––41.8 W/kg. The average specific water consumption ranged from 0.014 to 0.09 kg-water/kg-LFPF, with an average value of 0.031 kg-water/kg-LFPF. This value is lower than 0.112–––0.5 kg-water/kg-FFB, with an average value of 0.256 kg-water/kg-FFB for conventional FFB steam sterilization. This represents an 87.9 % reduction in water consumption in conventional FFB steam sterilization. An empirical model deduced for specific heat transfer rate and water consumption for steam sterilization of LFPF at 3 ± 0.5 bars and vapour temperature range of 100––130 °C showed a high coefficient of determination above 99 %.

Kinetics and thermodynamics in microwave-assisted transesterification of palm oil utilizing sulphonated bio-graphene catalysts for biodiesel production

Enhanced reaction performance is what has piqued interest in using graphene-based catalysts in producing biodiesel. However, in-depth analyses were lacking from a kinetic and thermodynamic standpoint. This means that a well-designed experiment is necessary to determine the effect that the graphene catalysts have on the reaction rates and yields. This work addresses the kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of heterogeneously catalyzed transesterification using sulphonated biomass-derived graphene catalysts, i.e., bGO-SO3H and brGO-SO3H. It was accomplished using the pseudo-first order mechanism and the Eyring-Polanyi equation, with all data fitting satisfactorily in both models at the ideal reaction temperature of 353.15 K, resulting in R2 values of 0.9784 (bGO-SO3H) and 0.9884 (brGO-SO3H). The calculated activation energy (Ea) was determined to be 44.45 and 51.73 kJ mol-1 for bGO- and brGO-SO3H, respectively. Additionally, the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) values were determined at −38.09 and −31.81 kJ mol−1 for bGO- and brGO-SO3H, respectively. Meanwhile, the values for ΔH and ΔS were obtained as 41.69 kJ mol−1 and 225.93 J mol−1 K−1, respectively, and 48.96 kJ mol−1 and 228.72 J mol−1 K−1, respectively. These collective outcomes collectively signify the endothermic nature of the reaction and their spontaneity, particularly under elevated temperature conditions.

Influence of silane-modified palm oil as a green processing oil in silica-reinforced SBR/BR compounds for tire tread applications

This study focuses on the usage of silane-modified palm oil (Si-m-PO) to replace petroleum-based processing oils, i.e., distillate aromatic extract (DAE) and treated distillate aromatic extract (TDAE), in silica-reinforced styrene butadiene rubber/butadiene rubber (SBR/BR) compounds for green tire tread products. The preparation of a novel processing oil based on Si-m-PO was successful on the laboratory scale, as verified by nuclear magnetic resonance, where the grafting efficiency of silane in oil molecules was 58%. Among the different types of processing oils, the presence of Si-m-PO in the compounds resulted in lower filler-filler interactions than the ones with TDAE and unmodified PO but higher than DAE. The Si-m-PO showed an effective reduction in filler–filler interaction compared to unmodified PO, possibly because the Si-m-PO could cover silica surfaces via silane linkage, leading to hydrophobicity of silica surfaces. Overall, the compounds containing Si-m-PO represented higher mechanical properties than the other oils. Furthermore, the Si-m-PO provided the same level concerning rolling resistance and enhanced wet traction, when compared to unmodified PO. Therefore, Si-m-PO can be applied as a biobased processing oil in tire tread applications.

Tuning of the acid sites in the zeolite-alumina composite Ni catalysts and their impact on the palm oil hydrodeoxygenation reaction

Tuning of the acid sites in the zeolite-alumina composite Ni catalysts and their impact on the palm oil hydrodeoxygenation reaction

Natural weathering effects on the surface morphological and physicochemical properties of radiation curable coatings in tropical climate

The purpose of this research is to discover the effects of natural weathering on palm oil-based and petrochemical-based film coatings. The film coatings were prepared using the radiation curing approach via cross-linking. Three palm oil-based resins with TiO2 nanoparticle loading were developed: EPOLA, EPOLA-OPV, and POBUA. The petrochemical-based coatings were also developed to compare the performance of natural and synthetic coatings. The coatings were exposed to natural weathering for up to 60 days at varied angles of 0°, 45°, and 90°. The effect of natural weathering conditions on the surface morphological, physiochemical, and also flexural characteristics of coatings, as well as the discoloration visual inspection and the growth of mould or fungus on the tested specimen, was studied. The results showed that natural weathering exposure induced severe discoloration and deterioration of the polymer network structure of the coatings due to photo-oxidation reaction and the presence of fungi. Overall, palm oil-based coatings deteriorate slower than petroleum-based coatings, especially at a 90° angle. This study indicated that bioresources-based palm oil has a significant potential for interior wood varnish applications due to its superior qualities over synthetic-based coatings.

Sustainable alternative activators from the textile mercerizing water for the durable and cost-effective flyash-GGBS based geopolymer concrete

By considering the current global challenges such as greenhouse gas emission and waste disposal management, the exploration of geopolymer concrete is highly focused now-a-days. On the other hand, the use of costlier commercial activators acted as the major drawback for the practical existence. Although the recent geopolymer researchers suggested the use of alternative activators from various resources such as palm oil ash, olive ash etc, the application of which are not appreciably promoted due to the complex derivation process. To overcome these effects, in this paper, first time, an attempt is initiated to develop a cost-effective geopolymer concrete by using textile mercerizing water as an alternate activator system. The viability of using mercerizing water instead of commercial sodium hydroxide activator was studied initially. By conducting the pH electrode test and Infrared Analysis, the alkalinity and the presence of sodium metal cations responsible for the reaction kinematics were confirmed. Also, the molar concentration of sodium cations in the mercerizing water was quantified using chemical titration analysis. The feasibility of using mercerizing water in the preparation of geopolymer was assessed using workability, mechanical strength and sustainability. From the results, it was inferred that the developed geopolymer concrete with 100 % textile mercerizing water exhibited the maximum strength of 46.9 MPa, 5.16 MPa and 5.81 MPa respectively under compression, tension and flexure which are almost equivalent and slightly better than the control geopolymer concrete. Also, the developed geopolymer concrete using 100 % textile mercerizing water and the combined flyash-GGBS binder system showcases the highest post-fire residual strength and 48 % reduced water absorption. The cost of construction of geopolymer concrete was significantly reduced by 58.43 % and showed 10.28 % reduced carbon footprint due to the complete replacement of sodium hydroxide solution using textile mercerizing water. The findings of this research work will lead to the development of equivalent molar sustainable activator from the textile mercerizing water and the exploration of eco-friendly and durable geopolymer concrete in an affordable price.