INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
Fossil fuels are products gotten from natural processes such as
anaerobic respiration of buried dead organisms. The age of organisms
and their consequent fossils are typically millions of years and at times
exceed 650 million years (Tulsa and Tan 2009). The environmental
effects of fossil fuels are presently a major world-wide worry. Fossil
fuels are progressively associated with the emission of greenhouse
gases, majorly co2, resulting to climate change, outgrowth of drought,
propagation of diseases and fluctuations in population sizes of both
plant and animal species (Lashof and Ahuja, 1990). The reduction of the
world’s crude oil reserve, growing prices of crude oil, and issues related
to preservations have brought about fresh interest in the use of bio-
based materials. Fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal and natural gas,
which have been exploited to meet up with the energy needs of man, are
usually associated with negative impacts on the surrounding such as
global warming (Munack et al., 2001; Saravanan et al., 2007). Supply of
these non-renewable energy sources is menacing to run out in a
foreseeable future (Sambo, 1981; Munack et al., 2001). It has been
reported that a minimal of ten major oil fields from the twenty largest
oil manufacturers are already experiencing a decline in their oil stock.
The contact pressures between devices in close ranges and moving
relative to each other are usually large enough to cause surface
wearing, frictions and generation of excessive heat without protector
(Hassan et al. 2006). These unreasonably high heat production, wear
and friction have to be controlled by a method or process. This process is
referred to as called LUBRICATION. Lubrication is the procedure or
technique used in diminishing wear or tear of one or both surfaces in
near proximity and moving relative to each other by interposing a
substance called lubricant in-between the oil to chemically modified
plant oil which has properties better than mineral oil lubricants (Ghazi
et al., 2010). These environmentally friendly lubricants are gotten from
either edible or non-edible plants among which are moringa, jathropha
curcas, rape seed, cotton and castor.
numerous studies in biolubricant have confirmed that the
monounsaturated fatty acids in plants oils, such as oleic and palmitic,
are reasoned to be the best prospect for lubricants and hydraulic oils
(Rudnick, 2006). Plant oils which have high concentrations fatty acids
are not desirable, since they are solids are room temperature. It has
been proved by many works that oleic acid is the best mono-saturated
fatty acid used in biolubricant production. Many studies have also
corroborated with the fact that the plant oils extracted from the crops
with a high concentration of oleic acid, such as canola, rapeseed and
castor seeds, are the most suitable plants oils for biolubricant
production (Rudnick, 2006).
Jatropha is a non- edible plant that was newly ascertained to have
great potential as feedstock for biodiesel and also biolubricant
production (Banerji et al., 1985). Plant oil based lubricants can be
attractive to the world –wide consumers because of its environmental
benefits and the fact that it is obtained from renewable resources.
Jatropha oil is considered non-edible oil because of the presence of toxic
esters (Shah et al., 2004). Thus, it could provide an alternative of
adequate supplies of low cost feedstock for fuel oil and its derivatives
with no rival-ship with food uses (Ghazi et al., 2010).
Jatropha curcas grows in tropical and subtropical climates across the
developing world, and is often cultivated as a hedge crop. It grows
rapidly and needs minimal water and nutrients, and is able to grow on
waste land under severe conditions and poor quality or degraded land
(Kandpal and Madan, 1995).
The pursuit of renewable energy sources has since dominated most
manufacturing industries with more emphasis on bio products. Several
researchers have agreed on the possibility of deriving more efficient
lubricants from such (bio products) feedstock. Hence, there is need to
inquire on the possibility of deriving an environmentally friendly and
economically viable lubricant from one of such sources (Nigerian
Jatropha curcas seed oil).
The current work was to sought the conditions for optimal yield
production of biolubricant which will substitute the conventional
lubricant. It involves the choices of process variables that will maximize
biolubricant from a sizeable feedstock.

1.2 PROBLEM STAEMENT

Lubricants derived from fossil fuels find application in a variety of
activity. However, its non-biodegradable properties have negative
consequences on the environment as in environmental pollution,
and global warming. Due to their non-renewability, fast depletion
has aroused concerns to substitute it. This lead to the need to
develop lubricants from feedstock which is renewable and
environmental friendly. Low temperature studies have reveal that
vegetable oils go experience poor flow, solidification, and
cloudiness at cold temperatures.
1.3 RESEARCH AIM
This research is aim at producing lubricant from a non-edible
vegetable oil, jatropha oil(biolubricant) using two stage
transesterification reaction and optimizing the process variables
to derive the maximum yield of boilubricant.

1.4 OBJECTIVES
 To characterize jatropha oil.
 To produce a biolubricant from jatropha oil feedstock.
 To determine the physico-chemical properties of the
synthesized biolubricant and compare with ISO VG
requirement.
 To optimize the reaction conditions that will give the best
the yield of lubricants.

1.5 JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY

 Lubricants which have high viscosity index will tend to respond
slowly to changes in temperature. Also, less emissions due to high
boiling points of the esters, high pour point, biodegradability, and
high cleanliness at the working place with higher wetting
tendency of polar esters which lead to friction reduction, lead to
production and the optimization of biolubricant.
1.6 SCOPE OF STUDY
The scope of this research work covered;
 Collection of raw materials which include castor oil,
trimethylopropane(TMP).
 Chemical modification of the feestock in on order to modify
teir desirability for ISO viscosity grade requirements by
applying the following;
I. Esterification reaction.
II. Methyl ester and polyol ester synthesis.
 Characterization of the feedstock, castor oil to be used to
produce the biolubricant by determination of its physio-
chemical properties.
 Production and characterization of biolubricants from
jatropha oil
 Characterization of the biolubricant produced to determine
its physio-chemical properties such as; kinematic viscosity,
viscosity index, flash point, pour point and specific gravity
 Determination of the effect of process variables such as effect
of temperature, on viscosity.
 Optimization of the process variables to maximize yield and
minimize the reagents used during the production process.
 Comparative analysis of jatropha oil lubricant with
TONIMAS lubricants.