(621cn) Nitrating a Biofuel in a Reaction Calorimetry

Today, the chemical industry is in constant flux to face the depletion of oil resources, new regulations and social, ecological and political pressures. In this context, diversification of raw materials to the use of renewable resources is a real interest for the development of innovative functional products [1-4]. The development of green processes and the use of new environmentally friendly products (less waste, low toxicity of renewable raw materials, carbon balance ...) must therefore be imagined in a viable economic context for companies but also for a safety chemistry to prevent accidents, explosions, fires and releases.    

In this work, we are interested in the kinetics of producing an additive to improve the cetane number of diesel from a biofuel. The nitration reaction by a mixed sulfonitic acid (HNO₃ / H₂SO₄ / H₂O) was carried out in a calorimeter RC1-RTCal reactor a capacity of 500mL [5]. The monitoring the reaction conversion over time is identified by combining the heat flow released by the physical or chemical transformations involved (nitration and/or mixing phenomenon) and chemical analysis: by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

The effect of stirring speed, temperature and the mass ratio of the mixed sulfonitic acid (HNO₃ / H₂SO₄) were highlighted on the nitration performance conversion.

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2/ White, A. A.; Platz, M. S.; Aruguete, D. M.; Jones, S. L.; Madsen, L. D.; Wesson, R. D.The National Science Foundation’s Investment in Sustainable Chemistry, Engineering, and Materials ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 1, 871- 877, 2013.

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5/ Ben Talouba I., Balland L., Mouhab N., Abdelghani-idrissi M. A., Evaluation by calorimetry of kinetic parameters of a chemical reaction in biphasic conditions producing a hydrotrope, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 50, no.2, 767-774, 2011.