Wet corrosion behavior of copper exposed to recycled groundnut oil as biofuel

The scarcity of fossil fuels may lead to a depletion of coal, oil and natural gas in the near future. Alternative fuels, especially biofuels, are receiving considerable attention for their environmental benefits. Biodiesel is a renewable and clean burning fuel that is made from waste vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease for use in diesel vehicles. Biodiesel produces fewer toxic pollutants and greenhouse gases than petroleum diesel. Many biofuels have been extracted and synthesized but little has been undertaken to study their effects on corrosion. The present investigation aims to evaluate the wet corrosion behavior of copper in used groundnut oil (UGNO) as a biofuel. The varieties of its blending ratios with commercial diesel (5, 10 and 20 %) were studied in accord with the mass loss method for a period of 100 h. The corrosion rate of the metal was evaluated according to mass loss and electrochemical methods. The corrosivity and conductivity of the test media were positively correlated. Wettability studies also supported the non-corrosive nature of biodiesel.