Síntese e caracterização de blendas de biodiesel de óleo de macaúba, babaçu e algodão

Abstract

Biodiesel is a renewable fuel derived from vegetable oils or animal fat. A very promising source for biodiesel production is macaúba (Acrocomia aculeata), a palm tree common in almost all Brazilian territory. The present work aims to evaluate the quality of biodiesel blends from macaúba, babassu and cotton oil in the proportions of 20, 50 and 80% w/w. The synthesis of macaúba biodiesel consisted primarily of the esterification step to reduce the acidity index of the oil and later the transesterification reaction was performed. Babassu and cotton oils have only been subjected to the latter process. Some analytical parameters were analyzed to verify the quality of oil and biodiesel. These were: viscosity, density, acidity index, iodine index, peroxide index and free glycerin content. All parameters analyzed fall within the regularization rules proposed by ANP Resolution nº 45/2014. The results indicate that the biodiesel from macaúba pulp oil can be mixed with cotton or babassu biodiesel to form biodiesel blends without altering the physicochemical characteristics.