CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PRESENTER ABSTRACTS
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PRESENTER ABSTRACTS
Gretchen Whitney High School
Comparing the Influences of Stevia Rebaudiana Extract and Butylated Hydroxytoluene on the Oxidation Stability of Biodiesel Derived from Brassica Napus L. Oil
As the prices of fossil fuels rise, many energy industries are looking for alternative energy sources such as biodiesel. However, biodiesel biodegrades too fast to be implemented as a new energy source which decreases its efficiency. As a result, my project focuses on developing a natural preservative, Stevia Rebaudiana Extract (Stevia soaked in methanol), and comparing it to an industry standard preservative, Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT). I first made biodiesel from canola oil by heating up Sodium Methoxide with canola oil. It was then washed with distilled water and dried under the fume hood. Then I mixed 0.1,0.2,0.3 grams BHT and a 25,50,75% mixture of biodiesel and stevia extract in 20 mL samples. I tested each mixture by dripping 0.3 grams on a cotton ball and lighting it on fire, timing it each time to see how long the flame lasted during week 1 then 3. The biodiesel with stevia extract had an average difference of 0.453 seconds, pure biodiesel, 19.352 seconds, and biodiesel with BHT, 7.702 seconds. However, the biodiesel with BHT burned longer during week 1. Overall, my research showed that Stevia Extract worked better as a natural preservative for biodiesel but was less energy efficient than BHT. This can be a potential solution to the issue of oxidation in biodiesel and I hope to continue this research in the future and find a way to make it as effective as BHT.
Gretchen Whitney High School
Increasing the Ductility and Overall Usability of Milk Based Plastic through the Implementation of a Plasticizer
This project is aimed to explore the properties of casein plastic, a biodegradable alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics. While using raw casein provides the tensile strength needed of a plastic, its rigid nature narrows its uses to jagged objects. To overcome this, this project performs a multi-factor research to explore the properties of casein plastic and evaluate the efficiency of a new version of this material made from liquid milk. It was hypothesized that the supplementation of a plasticizer that acts as a lubricator to the original formula of the plastic would easen the process of curating the casein, allowing for a more pliable material. Multiple tests such as testing the tensile strength, ease of biodegradability, and durability to different extreme conditions strongly affirmed the newly formulated casein’s superiority over the original plastic. The results showed that the new casein plastic has promising properties with a tensile strength comparable to that of some traditional plastics, a strong ability to maintain form, and a good resistance to bending and tearing. Furthermore, the material can be easily molded into different shapes and is biodegradable, making it a viable alternative to traditional plastics for a range of applications. The study provides valuable insights into the potential of casein plastic as a sustainable solution for plastic production and use. Overall, the contributions of this project help further the development and implementation of casein plastic, proving that it can be used for varying commercial purposes and be produced using household resources.
Gretchen Whitney High School
All It Takes is a Switch of Chemicals: A Safer Approach to Extracting Hydrophobic Plant Wax
Hydrophobic coatings release toxic chemicals and produce pollution over time. Therefore, scientists developed a process to extract a safer hydrophobic wax from plants. However, the process involves strong chemicals that can lead to health hazards. My objective was to compare the yield amount and hydrophobicity of the waxes produced between strong chemicals and weaker alternatives. The chemicals used in this experiment were pure methanol and the safer alternative, acetone-based nail polish remover. To extract the wax, a mixture of 37 grams of crushed Kalanchoe leaves and 30 milliliters of a chemical was cooled in a freezer. The cooled mixture was then filtered and left to evaporate, leaving only the wax. The wax produced was used to coat a small piece of filter paper. Cotton balls were placed inside a flask with the filter paper on top, and water was dropped from a pipette onto the paper. I noted how much water weight gain occurred with each cotton ball. There was a clear difference in the weight of the cotton ball between the nail polish remover waxed filter paper and the control, no wax applied, indicating hydrophobicity. However, for the methanol samples, there was no difference. I originally hypothesized that even though nail-polish remover is a weaker chemical than the potent methanol, the hydrophobicity of the wax produced would be similar, with methanol being slightly better. The result of the research shows that my hypothesis does not hold, as the acetone based nail polish remover had greater hydrophobic properties than the methanol.