We have made biodiesel in the school lab. I have to answer some questions.
I have difficulties with this one:
Explain why biodiesel has better physical properties to serve as a fuel than the starting vegetable oil.
Biodiesel: methyl ester of myristic acid, R-COOCH3
Veg. oil: Triglyceride. We used rape-seed oil; the fatty acids are primarily oleic acid ((Z)-octadec-9-enoic acid) and erucuc acid ((Z)-docos-13-enoic acid.
We made the biodiesel through a transesterfication of a triglyceride (veg. oil) with methoxide as a catalyst.
:)