Stability study of biodiesel using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

CHED 1150

Palmer Wetzel, ptw2@pitt.edu, David Groscost, dkg1@pitt.edu, Sam Johnson, hawkstalon69@alltel.net, Brandon Humberger, Autumn Aul, Alicia Stallard, Andrew Och, Thiezue James, Amber Miller, Phuc Tran, Brian Williams, Jess Wedin, Ashley Clement, Katie Schreffler, and Ping Y. Furlan, furlan@pitt.edu. Chemistry Department, University of Pittsburgh at Titusville, 504 East Main Street, Titusville, PA 16354
Bio-diesel provides an environmentally friendly alternative for heating and transportation. Bio-diesel molecules containing unsaturated carbon-carbon double bonds, however, are unstable and can oxidize spontaneously. We hope to slow down this oxidation process by adding natural antioxidants and/or converting the unsaturated bonds to saturated ones through hydrogenation or other chemical means. The progress of oxidation will be monitored using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.
 

Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Environmental Chemistry
2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007