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Determination of the Heat of Combustion of Biodiesel Using Bomb Calorimetry. A Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Chemistry Experiment

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Stephen M. Akers , Jeremy L. Conkle , Stephanie N. Thomas and Keith B. Rider

Department of Natural Sciences, Longwood University, Farmville, VA 23909

J. Chem. Educ., 2006, 83 (2), p 260

DOI: 10.1021/ed083p260

Publication Date (Web): February 1, 2006

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

An integrated undergraduate laboratory activity involving the synthesis and characterization of a diesel fuel substitute, biodiesel, is presented. Biodiesel is currently a popular topic in the field of green chemistry because it is a non-petroleum fuel that can be efficiently produced from waste vegetable oil. As a fuel, it requires no engine modifications and results in lower pollution emissions including carcinogens and carbon dioxide. Over a three-week period, students synthesize biodiesel, measure its heat of combustion, density, and cloud point, then compare these properties to conventional petroleum diesel. Heats of combustion are measured in a common laboratory bomb calorimeter and cloud point is measured using a UV–vis spectrophotometer.

Keywords (Audience):

Upper-Division Undergraduate

Keywords (Domain):

Environmental Chemistry

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Hands-On Learning / Manipulatives

Keywords (Subject):

Calorimetry / Thermochemistry

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This article has been cited by 15 ACS Journal articles (5 most recent appear below).

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