Thermal characterization of the poultry fat biodiesel

Chemical composition of oils and fats used in the biodiesel synthesis can influence in processing and storage conditions, due to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids. An important point is the study of the biodiesel thermal stability to evaluate its quality using thermal analysis methods. In this study the thermal stabilities of the poultry fat and of their ethyl (BEF) and methyl (BMF) biodiesels were determined with the use of thermogravimetry (TG/DTG), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), in different atmospheres. The TG/DTG curves of the poultry fat in synthetic air presented three decomposition steps while only one step was observed in nitrogen (N2) atmosphere. The DSC results indicated four exothermic enthalpic transitions in synthetic air and an endothermic transitions in N2 atmosphere attributed to the combustion process and to the volatilization and/or decomposition of the fatty acids, respectively. For both biodiesels the TG/DTG curves in air indicated two mass loss steps. In the DSC curves four exothermic transitions were observed in synthetic air besides an endothermic one in N2 atmosphere.