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

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.