Tribology International 153 (2021) 106653 Available online 14 September 2020 0301-679X/© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Transesterifed Olax scandens oil as a bio-additive: Production and engine performance studies Vijay Kumar Garlapati a, * , Sudhansu Bhusan Mohapatra b , Ramesh Chandra Mohanty b , Premananda Das c a Dept of Biotechnology and Boinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, HP, 173234, India b Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Centurion University of Technology & Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 752050, India c The Science Foundation for Tribal and Rural Resources Development, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751003, India A R T I C L E INFO Keywords: Olax scandens oil Transesterifcation Bioadditive Engine performance test ABSTRACT The present research evaluates the effciency of transesterifed Olax scandens oil for bio-additive to petroleum diesel. The extracted Olax oil was degummed and esterifed to reduce the acid value for the transesterifcation reaction’s suitability. The transesterifcation process was critically assessed by considering the effect of methanol concentration, reaction time, temperature and alkali concentration on FAME’s (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters) yield. The fuel properties have been determined and engine performance tests have been executed for probable usage as bioadditive. The transesterifed Olax oil blends showcased better engine performance studies fashed better runtime with load (more than 120% relative performance), lubricating and emission effciency with lowered CO, CO 2 , and NO x over the intact petrodiesel. 1. Introduction The exhausting fossil fuel reserves, rapid population growth, and energy utilization for enhanced lifestyle pave the world towards energy crisis. Therefore, it is prudent and urgent to look for alternate energy resources that can produce plenty at an affordable price. Crude petro- leum is the imperative source of lubricants (<90%) inevitable for automobile engine lubrication, non-renewable and a threat to the at- mosphere [1,2]. Round the globe, lubricant’s yield is close to 36 Mt (less than 1% of the crude oil stuff). The world lubricant market ranges from 37.4 Mt in 2004, projected to an annual rise of 2% and forecasting to reach the 45.4 million metric tons by 2019 [3,4]. Oils of plant origin are renewable and biodegradable, solicits the research attention to choices other than crude petroleum-based lubricants [5–7]. The present market share of biodegradable lubricants is less than 2% of the total market production. So the current research work is directed to plant-based oil lubricants that are biodegradable and renewable [1]. Attention has been focused on producing bio-additives, bio-diesel and lubricants from vegetable, non-vegetable and waste oils. Production of bio-energy re- sources from the plant origin may be one of the sustainable approaches for producing bio-additives and bio-energy. As a confict with vegetable oils’ food chains, the research community mainly focuses on the available divergent non-edible oils that are plentily available under the Indian context. The National Biodiesel Mission (NBM) embarked by Govt. of India, intending to meet the country’s 20% diesel requirements. Olax scandens is a drought-tolerant perennial scrub plant that be- longs to Olax and family Olacaceae with 55–60% oil-bearing kernels. Olax scandens is a habitat of ravines, sub-Himalayan territories of Kumaun and Gangetic planes, Indian states such as Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Deccan and the Western Ghats. Despite using the ex- tracts of Olax scandens, bio-energy commodities production from the 55–60% oil bearing kernels is being attempted/reported. Owing to the new source coupled with the high oil-bearing capacity, the present study exploited Olax scandens oil as a renewable source to produce bio- additive in conjunction with the petrodiesel, contributing GHG’s (Green House Gases)-free environment with healthier and secured society. The fatty acid methyl esters (FAME’s, as choosing methanol is a viable economic source) produced by transesterifcation are the key components of Bio-diesel and Bio-additives. Higher acid number and viscosity of Olax scandens oil were imperative sufferings on fatty acid methyl esters [8]. Hence the crude Olax scandens oil was extracted by solvent extraction, degummed with a weak acid to reduce the acid number and esterifed with methanol in weak acid catalytic medium to * Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: shanepati@gmail.com, garlapati.vijaykumar@juit.ac.in (V.K. Garlapati). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Tribology International journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/triboint https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2020.106653 Received 24 June 2020; Received in revised form 30 August 2020; Accepted 12 September 2020