Manufacture of an environmental-safe biolubricant from fusel oil by enzymatic esterification in solvent-free system

Biolubricant was prepared in integrated system by an esterification reaction of fusel oil and oleic acid, where immobilised Novozym 435 lipase enzyme was used as a biocatalyst. Firstly shaken flasks experiments were carried out, and the effects of water content, temperature, substrate concentration and the molar ratio of oleic acid and alcohols on the ester yield were investigated in solvent-free system. To eliminate the negative effect of the water produced in the reaction, integrated system was constructed, and pervaporation was used for water removal. The method was suitable to achieve 99.8% conversion under optimal conditions. The oleochemical ester produced doesn't have aquatic toxicity and the determined tribologycal, physico-chemical properties of the lubricant proved that it is an environmental friendly product