M.+Morris+&+S.+Goose+-+Reaction+Wiki

=__The Formation of Biodiesel__= //(soybean oil plus sodium methylate)//




 * By S. Goose and M. Morris**

What is Biodiesel? What is it used for? Why use it?
Biodiesel is a type of biofuel which is used to fuel cars and other vehicles. Biodiesel is used as an alternative petroleum oil (petroleum oil has been known to be expensive, rare, and dangerous to the environment). Biodiesel is special because it is cleaner and safer for our environment, compared to petroleum oil. Biodiesel is made from renewable resources which makes it easier to produce. Biodiesel also lubricates car engines, which decreases engine wear, making the engine last longer. Speaking of engines, biodiesel is compatible with most car engines that run on diesel. According to research, biodiesel can reduce the risk of cancer, which the emittings of petroleum oil have been known to cause.

The National Biodiesel Board defines biodiesel as the following: //"Biodiesel can be used in any concentration with petroleum based diesel fuel in existing diesel engines with little or no modification. Biodiesel is not the same thing as raw vegetable oil. It is produced by a chemical process which removes the glycerin from the oil."//

//What is the reaction of Biodiesel? How is Biodiesel made?//
The basic reaction of biodiesel is the following: //**soybean oil** plus **sodium methylate** forms **biodiesel**//. Biodiesel is basically a combination of oil or fat with diesel. To be more specific, biodiesel can be made from oils/fats such as: vegetable oil, cooking oil, plant oil, animal fat, soybean, rapeseed, canola, palm, cottonseed, sunflower, and peanut.

In order to make biodiesel, the fat or oil needs to go through several chemical reactions in order to become a fuel. The fat or oil needs to be purified and then it is reacted with methanol or ethanol which then is reacted with potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide. After the reaction, we get esters and glycerol. Esters are the biodiesel, while glycerol is extracted from the esters (because glycerol is known to clog the car engine). This entire process is called transesterification and its one of the several ways to make biodiesel.



//Who are the major buyers of Biodiesel? Why do they buy it?//
People who want to use an alternative to petroleum oil are the major buyers of biodiesel. People buy biodiesel because it is good for the environment, it doesn't wear down the car engine, and it can reduce dependency on foreign oil. Biodiesel can be bought from a biodiesel-producing company, from a petroleum distributor, or from gas stations. Buses in major cities such as Cincinnati have started using biodiesel as fuel.

//Does Biodiesel affect the environment?//
Biodiesel is environmentally safer than petroleum oil, however, biodiesel does emit nitrogen oxide which is harmful to our environment. Nitrogen oxide is bad for the environment because it contributes to the formation of smog (smog is fog that has been polluted with smoke). But other than the fact that biodiesel emits nitrogen oxide, it is still safer and cleaner resource than petroleum oil.

//Does Biodiesel have any disadvantages?//
Other than the fact that biodiesel emits nitrogen oxide, it does have other disadvantages. One disadvantage is that biodiesel can be expensive (depending on the market condition). Pure biodiesel can cost $1.95 to $3.00 per gallon which can be really expensive. Another disadvantage is that biodiesel may not be widely available in the United States. The reason for this is because there are only 19 plants that produce biodiesel in the United States.

http://www.biodiesel.com/why_biodiesel.htm http://auto.howstuffworks.com/biodiesel.htm http://www.epa.gov/smartway/growandgo/documents/factsheet-biodiesel.htm http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/definitions/default.shtm
 * Sources:**