Mechanistic Modeling of Transesterification Reaction for Lube Oil Synthesis

Mechanistic Modeling of Transesterification Reaction for Lube Oil Synthesis | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Mechanistic Modeling of Transesterification Reaction for Lube Oil Synthesis Nasir Alabi, Rashid Owolabi, Kasali Yusuf This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9125023/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The environmental impact of large deposit of lubricants from mineral oils in the environment has become worrisome over the years. Utilizing swiftly biodegradable lubricants, such as plant-derived materials and transformed vegetable oil esters, can markedly lessen environmental harm compared to conventional mineral oils. This research introduces a kinetic and mathematical framework that elucidates the chemical transesterification of palm oil-derived methyl esters (POMEs) with trimethylolpropane (TMP) into polyol esters. The kinetics of the transesterification reaction is modelled as three distinct elementary reversible series–parallel reaction mechanisms in a constant volume batch reactor. The model considers the transesterification reaction to take place in both forward and reverse directions. The derived kinetic equations were computed using the ode45 solver function in MATLAB, with rate constants determined through error minimization based on optimal statistical analysis criteria. The modelled concentration – time profile was obtained and compared with experimental data. A good correlation between simulated results and experimental data was observed, confirming that the model was able to predict the rate constants with improved accuracy. The newly developed kinetic model will aid in designing a pilot-scale chemical reactor for the transesterification of POME with (TMP) to produce polyol esters from palm oil as a viable option. Modeling transesterification lubricant simulation green energy palm oil methyl esters kinetics Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9125023","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":607004930,"identity":"42f759ae-8bfe-47cb-9982-a1ad51f943cf","order_by":0,"name":"Nasir Alabi","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABBUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYJCCA0AswyDB2PiggkEOLCJBjBYeoJZmgzMMxkAWEVoYIFoY2CSI0mLOfvzh4QoGOx7+2c1tFQdqDKLtGZgP3uZhuGPXgEOLZU+OwcEzDMk8EncOtt04cMwgt4eBLdmah+FZMi4tBgdyGA42MDDzMNxIbLv9seEPUAuPmTQPw+FkXA4zOP/8AVBLPY88UEvBwQaQLfzf8Gu5kWAA1HKYxwCohQGihYcNpMUOt5Y3QC0Gx3kM7xxslgD75TCbseUcg8MJuB2W/vhjQ0W1nNzt9ocfgCGW297e/PDGm4rD9ri0QDUic5ghIokN+PVgAQRsGQWjYBSMghEEAOhwWnwko5FQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nasir","middleName":"","lastName":"Alabi","suffix":""},{"id":607004931,"identity":"b6265fca-a2c5-4cf4-a653-ce3e7f3d5fc1","order_by":1,"name":"Rashid Owolabi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lagos","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rashid","middleName":"","lastName":"Owolabi","suffix":""},{"id":607004932,"identity":"e9ee5968-d0a9-4116-8580-07476c67d457","order_by":2,"name":"Kasali Yusuf","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kasali","middleName":"","lastName":"Yusuf","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-14 21:23:10","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9125023/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9125023/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105711063,"identity":"fbaadd28-8574-460a-8739-fa4182b3b672","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-30 07:59:17","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":520640,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"MECHANISTICMODELINGOFTRANSESTERIFICATIONREACTIONFORLUBEOILSYNTHESIS.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9125023/v1_covered_7841b54c-026d-4238-a3e1-23cef6f29600.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eMechanistic Modeling of Transesterification Reaction for Lube Oil Synthesis\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Modeling, transesterification, lubricant, simulation, green energy, palm oil methyl esters, kinetics","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9125023/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9125023/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"The environmental impact of large deposit of lubricants from mineral oils in the environment has become worrisome over the years. 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