The Role of Areca catechu Extract on Decreasing Viscosity of Vegetable Oils

Abstract

The direct use of vegetable oil is constrained by vegetable oils’ viscosity, which is relatively high. Therefore, this study discusses reducing the vegetable oils viscosity molecularly, using natural additives of Areca extract. The role of Areca extract on diminishing the viscosity of vegetable oil was simulated utilizing HyperChem software. Then, the viscosity was verified using the ASTM D445 method. The results show that the epicatechin in the Areca extract generates a local magnetic field on its aromatic ring that plays the role of energizing electron mobility in vegetable oil. On the one hand, increased electron mobility decreases oil polarity but, on the other hand, increases the London force via a temporary dipole charge. Simultaneously, it relaxes oil molecules that tend to increase molecule distance decreasing the London force. Since viscosity is proportional to the London force and oil polarity; thus, these three phenomena determine the role of Areca extract on the oil viscosity. The viscosity reduction is smaller at a larger number of the double bonds in the fatty acid chain since the local magnetic field’s induction on the electron spin is interrupted in the double bonds