Ionic liquids as advanced catalysts for the esterification of fatty acids into bio lubricants
Lecturer-Senior Scale, Department of Automobile Engineering, Smt. L. V. Government Polytechnic, Hassan-573201, Karnataka, India.
Review Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 10(01), 446–452
Publication history:
Received on 18 April 2021; revised on 24 April 2021; accepted on 26 April 2021
Abstract:
The growing demand for environmentally friendly lubricants has intensified research into biolubricants derived from renewable resources. The esterification of free fatty acids (FFAs) with polyols like trimethylolpropane (TMP) or neopentyl glycol (NPG) is a key synthetic route. However, conventional homogeneous acid catalysts (e.g., H₂SO₄, p-toluene sulfonic acid) present significant drawbacks, including corrosion, difficulty in separation, and high energy consumption. This paper investigates the application of Ionic Liquids (ILs) as advanced, green catalysts for this esterification process. ILs, salts with low melting points, offer unique properties such as negligible vapor pressure, high thermal stability, and tunable acidity, making them ideal candidates for catalytic applications. This review, drawing on literature prior to 2020, systematically examines the role of ILs in biolubricant synthesis across six domains: the fundamental chemistry of biolubricants and the limitations of conventional catalysis; the structure and properties of ILs; their performance as Brønsted and Lewis acid catalysts; their unparalleled recyclability and green chemistry metrics; a comparative analysis with traditional methods; and future perspectives for industrial implementation. The analysis concludes that ILs, particularly functionalized Brønsted acidic ILs, demonstrate superior catalytic activity, exceptional recyclability, and a greener profile, positioning them as a transformative technology for the sustainable production of high-performance biolubricants.
Keywords:
Ionic Liquids; Biolubricant; Esterification; Green Catalysis; Free Fatty Acids; Recyclability
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