Catalytic Epoxidation of Rice Bran Oil via an In Situ Generated Hybrid Peracids Mechanism

In this study, in-situ formed peracid was used to generate epoxidised rice bran oil. The following were found to be the ideal epoxidation reaction parameters: (1) 85 °C reaction temperature; (2) 0.8 g catalyst loading hybrid oxygen carrier; (3) 450 rpm string speed; and (4) 1.1 molar ratio of hydrogen peroxide to rice bran oil. Under these conditions, the highest oxirane content achieved was 49 %. A mathematical model was developed in MATLAB using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method and simulated annealing optimisation to describe the reaction’s kinetic behaviour accurately. By turning rice bran oil into a product with added value, this study helps reduce dependency on petroleum-based resources and offers important insights into reaction dynamics, which are crucial for industrial applications.