Castor Beans: An Ideal Clean Biodiesel Feedstock

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Gayathri

Earth Gen Biofuel expects that the worldwide demand for castor beans would increase for the next 10 years.

The ever expanding end uses of castor oil and its derivatives are the key drivers for increase in world castor seed production. The demand exceeds the current castor seed production by a wide margin. These facts and EarthGen’s goal of becoming one of the largest US-based growers of castor beans have paved the way for the company’s expansion goals.

The company plans to start castor bean operations in South America and US. It also include adding 4000 acres of castor bean farms in Laos over the next two years.

Source

Castor Price Trades Flat in Rajkot

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Gayathri

Castor prices traded almost flat on the back of good demand and sufficient supply. There was good demand from exporters of castor oil on which crushers bought heavily.

According to SEA data, during April-February 2015-16, castor oil export increased to 4.34 lakh tonnes as against 4 lakh tonnes in corresponding period last year.

Source

Castor Bean Harvest in Full Swing in Tamil Nadu

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Gayathri

Harvest of castor beans is being carried out in almost all the hamlets in Pachaimalai. The harvest process is being carried out only during late afternoon after allowing the seeds to dry. The oilseed is grown as an intercrop on the boundaries of tapioca farms along with local seeds.

Lack of attractive price for castor had forced the farmers to reduce the area under cultivation. An estimated 40 hectares has been brought under castor cultivation as against 200 hectares till a decade ago.

Source

Castor Seed Price Weekly Report: Apr 18 – 23, 2016

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Gayathri

CastorOil.in brings you the weekly report of castor seed price at Bombay Commodities Exchange.

Check out the table and the graphical data.

Price Date	Rupees Per Quintal
19 Apr	3200
20 Apr	3200
21 Apr	3225
22 Apr	3225
23 Apr	3250

Source

Castor Declines on Higher Arrival

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Gayathri

Castor prices reduced in spot market owing to higher arrival of the seed. However, the castor prices increased in futures owing to hope of rise in demand in the coming days.

About 1.10 lakh bags of castor seed arrived in Gujarat, while about 4,500 bags arrived in Saurashtra. At the Rajkot Commodity Exchange, the castor June contract increased while the castor spot market decreased.

Source

New Castor Oil-based Polymeric Surfactants

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Gayathri

Recent study has found new castor oil based polymeric surfactants.

Polymeric surfactants are polymeric substances which tend to reduce surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved.

Now scientists from China have conducted an experiment to produce castor oil based polymeric surfactants. Dehydrated castor oil was epoxidized using phosphoric acid and acetic acid to produce epoxidized castor oil. Ring opening polymerization method was followed with to produce polymerized epoxidized castor oil (PECO) and hydrolysed PECO (HPECO).

Characterization studies showed that castor oil based polymeric surfactants exhibited high efficiency to reduce the surface tension of water.

Source

New Castor Oil based Copolymers for Surface Coating Applications

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Gayathri

Recent study finds castor oil sourced copolymers for surface coating applications.

Scientists from India have performed the experiment where acrylic polyols comprising castor oil derived hydroxy functional acrylic copolymers were synthesized by co-reacting modified hydroxy functional castor oil with a variety of acrylic monomers. Solution polymerization method was followed in the presence of an inhibitor.

The synthesized resins when cured with suitable amino-resin cross-linkers provided tough, glossy and weather resistant coatings.

Source

New Castor Oil based Antistatic and Anticorrosive Materials

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Gayathri

Recent study has found the use of castor oil as antistatic and anticorrosive materials.

Antistatic property is defined as the fast dissipation of static electricity (static charge). It is evaluated using two measures – surface resistance and half-life. The lower the surface resistance (Ω), the higher the antistatic property; and the shorter the half-life (s), the higher the antistatic property.

A previous study conducted by scientists from Korea in 2004, has found that waterborne -polyurethane coating materials containing conductive polyaniline blend films showed reduced antistatic half-life.

Now, scientists from Korea and India have prepared castor oil-based waterborne polyurethane/polyaniline (COWPU/PAni) conducting polymer blend films. The waterborne polyurethane synthesized from isophorone diisocyanate was reacted with castor oil to form prepolymers. Also, COWPU/PAni hybrid dispersions were synthesized to make different conductive composites.

Characteristic studies showed that COWPU/PAni conducting blend films could be used as antistatic and anticorrosive coating materials.

Source

New Catalyst for Castor Oil Biodiesel Production

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Gayathri

Recent study finds ferromagnetic zinc oxide nanocomposite as a suitable heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production from castor oil.

The conventional method to produce biodiesel is basic transesterification using a homogeneous catalyst. But this process requires steps of neutralization and washing of the catalyst which increase biodiesel cost.

Some heterogeneous and lipase catalysts are being developed to fight against some of these drawbacks.

Now scientists from India have performed an experiment to synthesise biodiesel from castor oil using ferromagnetic zinc oxide nanocomposite as heterogenous catalyst.

Results showed that ferromagnetic zinc oxide nanocomposite could help to achieve a biodiesel yield of 91% under milder reaction conditions.

Source

New Improved Castor Oil Fatliquoring Agent

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Gayathri

Castor oil in water emulsions, also known as fatliquors are used for lubrication of tanned leather fibres to get softness and improve strength properties. Fatliquoring agents are usually obtained by chemical modification.

Now scientists have performed an experiment using nano-TiO₂ as emulsifying agent. The fatliquoring agent based on castor oil was prepared using nano-TiO₂ as emulsifying agent by mechanical mixing. Thus castor oil/nano-TiO₂ composite fatliquoring agent (CTF) was obtained via Pickering emulsion method.

Pickering emulsion method is the process of preparing emulsion that is stabilized by solid particles which adsorb onto the interface between the two phases.

Results showed that the addition of nano-TiO₂ stabilized the emulsion and the application of emulsion in the leather fatliquoring process of goatskin garment improved the physical and mechanical properties of leather. Also, CTF was biodegradable compared to chemically modified castor oil fatliquoring agent.

CastorOil Blog

Castor Oil Industry Reference & Resources – CastorOil.in

Castor Beans: An Ideal Clean Biodiesel Feedstock

Castor Price Trades Flat in Rajkot

Castor Bean Harvest in Full Swing in Tamil Nadu

Castor Seed Price Weekly Report: Apr 18 – 23, 2016

Castor Declines on Higher Arrival

New Castor Oil-based Polymeric Surfactants

New Castor Oil based Copolymers for Surface Coating Applications

New Castor Oil based Antistatic and Anticorrosive Materials

New Catalyst for Castor Oil Biodiesel Production

New Improved Castor Oil Fatliquoring Agent