video tutorial Bio-diesel from sunflower oil

Name: video tutorial - Bio-diesel from sunflower oil
Uploaded: 2025-12-11T09:03:43.722Z
Duration: 8 min 13 s
Description: That's all for this video.

Overview: Biodiesel produced by transesterifying a fatty oil with methanol using a freshly prepared methoxide catalyst to form fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel) and glycerol as a byproduct.
Feedstock: an oil containing fatty acids with 16+ carbons (example sunflower oil) is used to give suitable properties.
Process: mix oil with methanol and methoxide, heat and stir to promote reaction, then allow phases to separate into an ester layer and a glycerin layer.
Purification: wash the ester with water to remove residual glycerol, methanol, and salts, then dry (e.g., with calcium chloride) to obtain a relatively clear biodiesel.
Product: biodiesel with much lower viscosity than starting oil; flash point is significantly higher than gasoline or conventional diesel, indicating improved safety margins.