Reaney, Der Rees & Dalai: Industrial Products from Vegetable Oils
Date: April 2021
Term: 3 years
Status: Completed
Researcher(s): Martin Reaney, Den Van Rees and Ajay Dalai, University of Saskatchewan
SaskCanola Investment: $103,788
Total Project Cost: $329,538
Funding Partners: Agriculture Development Fund
Project Summary
Using green processing technologies, Saskatchewan-grown crops, such as camelina, canola, corn, flax and soybean oils can be incorporated into existing materials and manufacturing processes without the need for additional infrastructure. Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan developed new processes and methods to produce sweet linseed oil for oil-based paints, as well as epoxidized corn, soybean, canola, camelina and ultra-pure flaxseed oils as natural, biodegradable epoxy resins for the surface coating industry.
Vegetable oils from Saskatchewan-grown crops, such as camelina, canola, corn, flax and soybean, are valuable feedstocks for industrial and commercial chemicals, and can be used in commercial products like paints and epoxy resins. Using green processing technologies, these locally sourced, plant-based materials can be incorporated into existing materials and manufacturing processes without the need for additional infrastructure.
In a three-year project, researchers at the University of Saskatchewan developed a series of new processes that Saskatchewan communities can use as a basis to manufacture new products and compete in world markets. The project objectives were to develop methods for improving the physical and chemical properties of flaxseed and camelina oil, to determine the yellowing of flaxseed and camelina based oil paints, and to develop processes that improve the chemical and physical properties of canola and rapeseed oil. For the study, 1000 litres of flaxseed and camelina oil were each extracted using a pilot scale reactor, and further concentrated and refined to yield colorless ultra-pure seed oils.
This new method resulted in ultra-pure flaxseed or sweet linseed oil and sweet camelina oils that were clarified and less yellow than the original seed oil. The sweet linseed oil was used to produce oil-based paint for second part of the study; however, the ultra-pure camelina oil took too much time to dry and was excluded from further research activity for paint products.
The oil and epoxy chemical properties of the sweet linseed oil were examined and characterized using 1H NMR spectroscopy. New paints were made using traditional pigments and the sweet linseed oil developed in this project, and compared to oil-based paints from existing manufacturers. The colour and performance of these paints were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to establish paint quality, and Fiber Optics Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS) for colour. This sweet linseed oil was developed into a product now sold as an art supply product through Martin and Paul paints. (http://www.martinandpaul.ca/index.html) This is a water-white painter’s medium that has no tendency to yellow and has been successfully used by many local artists in their paintings.
Researchers also set out to develop new processes for improving the chemical and physical properties of epoxidized vegetable oils (EVO) for use in alternative epoxy resin systems. In the study, bio-degradable EVOs were produced using an environmentally friendly oxidant, instead of a conventional process. Epoxidized corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, camelina oil and ultra-pure flaxseed oil were prepared and characterized using this new process and subsequently treated by acrylation. Several acrylated EVOs were then prepared and characterized for a new UV and thermal curing process. The desirable quality in these oils is a low level of unreactive saturated fatty acid, which leads to a low crosslink density upon cure. Researchers also developed a new NMR method for quantifying oil epoxidation.
Overall, the project showed that highly refined camelina and flaxseed oils are ideal starting materials for making high quality bio-degradable industry products. Researchers developed a new method for producing ultra-pure flaxseed and camelina oil, and produced a commercial oil paint from sweet linseed oil. The study identified corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, camelina oil and flax seed oil to be promising oils for epoxidized vegetable oils production. There are enormous advantages in using ultra-pure EVOs in the development of new products, such as the potential to utilize existing infrastructure in the production of new materials and products. Further research is planned for the compounds that are extracted from the seed oil during the ultra-purification process.
This research provides information that will allow manufacturers to produce useful industrial fluids using these materials with equipment that is presently available in typical production facilities. The use of locally sourced feedstocks enables Saskatchewan industry to diversify its feedstocks and avoid supply-chain disruptions. The value-added plant-based materials market also adds demand for Saskatchewan-based oilseed producers.
Scientific publications.
Marambe, H, S Purdy, TJ Tse, MJT Reaney (2020) Flax oil and high linolenic oils. In Bailey's Industrial Oil and Fat Products, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., https://doi.org/10.1002/047167849X.bio010.pub2