Valorization of waste cooking oil into bio-sourced products

Abstract

Waste cooking oil is produced in large quantities and disposed of in the environment, hence the interest of many researchers on its valorization using conversion of waste materials into different bio-products. Among the possibilities of bio-products, the present work investigates epoxide and polyol synthesis from waste oil. These renewable-products represent an alternative to petroleum-based ones with different application in polymeric sectors. The objective of this work is to value a waste by converting it to a bio-based product with an added value using an eco-friendly process that generates less waste or by-products. The produced epoxidized waste cooking oil had an oxirane value of 7.23% and a density of 0.992 g/cm3, it was transformed into bio-based polyol with an hydroxyl number of 45.02 mg KOH/g and a height density of 1.056 g/ cm3. The obtained yields of the two reactions was 92% and 100% for epoxidation and hydroxylation respectively.