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Rubber seed oil (RSO) (Hevea brasiliensis) was extracted from rubber seeds by chemical means. The effect of temperature on the oil yield was investigated. The experiment suggested that the maximum yield of the oil occurs at 60 °C. This is a result of the proximity to the boiling point of n-hexane, which is about 68 °C. Epoxidized and hydroxylated RSOs were further synthesized by performic acid generated in situ by the reaction of formic acid with 30% hydrogen peroxide. The physiochemical properties of the epoxidized rubber seed oil (ERSO) and hydroxylated rubber seed oil (HRSO) were determined. A separate study was also carried out on castor seed oil (CSO). The improved products were characterized with respect to their configuration and properties. Spectroscopic analysis was carried out on the oil base stocks (RSO, CSO, ERSO, and HRSO). All of the experimental findings were compared with one another. The lubricating properties of CSO and HRSO are further studied as a result of their common hydroxyl nature to ascertain their suitability as a lubricant base. Both oils can be categorized as a nondrying oil with saponification values of 179.52 and 255.25 mgKOH/g, respectively, and as such possess advantageous properties for industrial application. When compared to one another, HRSO appears to be a more effective choice as a lubricant base. This is because of its higher viscosity index of 380.65. The outcomes of this study indicate that hydroxylated and epoxidized RSO with high oxirane content can be synthesized concurrently by one-pot multistep reactions.

Increased rise of industries and car usage in Nigeria and urban development is exponentially on the increase giving rise to multiple waste generation. Evaluation of the different recycling processes showed that acid-clay process has the highest environmental risk as well as the lowest cost; hence, this work added a treatment method for the slurry produced after treatment with acid-clay method, thereby reducing the environmental concern caused by acid and acid sludge formed in the process. The acid ratio was varied between 0 and 20% and adsorbent ratio between 15 and 25%. Automotive-used lubricating oil and industrial-used lubricating oil were treated using two different samples, acid and adsorbent. An increase in acid concentration showed a significant difference over the properties of oil such as density, viscosity, flash point, and other physiochemical properties nevertheless increasing the amount of acid over the optimum point made on significant change. Varying of adsorbent ratio showed little significant effect to density and flash point, while yield and viscosity were unaffected. Optimum point being at 10% acid and 25% adsorbent gave optimal result. All metal contaminants are substantially removed; total base number was improved, while increase in flash point suggested the method effectiveness. Treatment of used industrial oil was found to be easier to re-refine due to less contamination.

The inhibitive behaviour of aloe vera as an eco-friendly inhibitor was studied in the corrosion of mild and stainless steel in 0.5 M H2SO4 medium. The varied aloe vera inhibitor concentrations were studied using weight loss (gravimetric) and linear polarization methods. The methods showed that the inhibition efficiency increased with an increase in the concentration of the inhibitor (up to 10 vol/vol%) for both the mild and stainless steels. Stainless steel was found to exhibit a lower corrosion rate compared to mild steel. The results showed that Langmuir adsorption isotherm was obeyed by the inhibition of mild and stainless steel using aloe vera in 0.5 M H2SO4 with the values of the regression coefficients near unity. The negative values of ∆Gads show the spontaneous adsorption of inhibitor on the mild and stainless steel surfaces and a physisorption adsorption mechanism of the aloe vera inhibitor since the values of ∆Gads obtained are more than − 20 kJ/mol, that is, aloe vera is an efficient corrosion inhibitor with mixed-type inhibition property.

Researchers have found out several ways by which environmental pollution can be of positive relevance by recycling the waste to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment. The bleaching process is a crucial process in palm oil refining in which an adsorbent is majorly used to adsorb the unwanted colour pigments and a wide range of other impurities. This study aims to modify three different adsorbents; Groundnut hull, Snail shell, and rice husk and processed them into powder form as Groundnut hull powder [GHP], Snail shell powder [SSP] and Rice husk powder [RHP] respectively. The effects of three factors: temperature, mass and time were investigated on the response. MINITAB 19 software was employed which resulted in 20 runs. The optimization of the bleaching effects imposed by the adsorbents on palm oil using Central Composite Design (CCD) was evaluated. The free fatty acid and peroxide value decrease with bleaching while the saponification value increased with bleaching. The analysis conducted shows that groundnut hull was able to adsorb the most significant value of FFA and peroxide value in the palm oil. The lowest value of FFA obtained indicates that bleaching increases the shelf life of the oil and makes it more suitable for soap making., Groundnut hull, Snail shell, peroxide value, Rice husk, CCD, adsorbent, bleaching.

The bleaching process is a crucial process in palm oil refining in which an adsorbent is majorly used to adsorb the unwanted colour pigments and a wide range of other impurities. Groundnut hull was collected and processed into powder form as Groundnut hull powder [GHP], the powder was used to remove the colour pigments and other minor impurities from crude palm oil. Free fatty acid (FFA) analysis was carried out on the palm oil before and after bleaching. The effects of three factors: temperatures, mass and time were investigated on the response. Central Composite Design [CCD] employed resulted in 20 runs. The conducted analysis has shown that groundnut hull was able to reduce FFA composition as well as reduce the colour of the palm oil to a desired colour.

The research work investigated the production of adhesive from cassava starch. Cassava tubers were processed into starch-based adhesives, using two different gelatinization enhancers (that is HCl and NaOH) which were introduced separately. The adhesives were produced by considering two varied process parameters, namely percentage weight of borax in starch solution (8 – 20%) and reaction temperature (65 – 85°C). Comparative analysis of the adhesive obtained (using HCl and NaOH as gelatinization enhancers) include the determination of its bond strength, viscosity, drying time, pH and density. As the borax weight percent increases up to 14 % and reaction temperature reduces (using NaOH) the drying time increases, while the drying time reduces as both the borax weight percent and temperature reduce (using HCl). The results of the adhesive physical properties fall within the standard range for each of the properties and this implied that the adhesive produced was of high quality.

Studies on the epoxidation of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) seed oil, a renewable source with formic acid was performed in the presence of 30% hydrogen peroxide at a of temperature 40, 50, 60, 70 °C. The process is favoured by an increase in temperature forming a product with high oxirane content which is as a result of mole ratios of formic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Products of high oxirane content are commercialy viable in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Natural rubber and other products can be obtained from this in- situ technique. Studies in this research shows that the rate of epoxidation increases with an increase in temperature.Oxirane values of 2.30, 3.62 and 4.73 for the various temperature. However high oxirane content of 6.22 was obtained at 70 °C which is in line with literature. FTIR analysis was also carried out on the epoxidized rubber seed oil which shows the peaks of oxirane cleavage.

This study involves the extraction of oil from three sources: orange peel, guava leaves, and cassia fistula leaves using Soxhlet apparatus. The variables considered in this study were time of extraction and sample weight. Minitab statistical software was used to randomize the runs. The combination of operating parameters that gave the optimum yield for the three sources were identified. The regression equation for each source was reported. The coefficient of determination (R2) value for orange, guava leaves and cassia fistula extract were 99.51%, 99.90%, and 99.77% respectively. This shows that the model is a good prediction tool for extraction of oil from these sources. Based on the R2 values guava leaves (99.90%) gave the highest prediction accuracy followed by Cassia fistula (99.90%), with orange leaves having the lowest R2 value (99.77%) among the three sources considered.