Zohre Taherkhani - Chemical Process Design Research Group, ACECR, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box ۱۴۱۷۹۴۳۸۵۱, Tehran, Iran
Omid Shojaei - Chemical Process Design Research Group, ACECR, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box ۱۴۱۷۹۴۳۸۵۱, Tehran, Iran

The present paper explores a new economical method for the synthesis of oleamide in the presence of catalyst at atmospheric pressure. Oleamide is mainly synthesized by ammonolysis of fatty acid or esters with ammonia gas at high pressure. Yet, using the urea instead of ammonia gas provides an economical reaction at atmospheric pressure. The structure of synthesized oleamide is characterized by FTIR analysis. The effect of oleic acid / urea molar ratio, time and temperature of reaction as well as amount of catalyst on the acid values or conversion of reaction is studied. The optimum condition for the synthesis of oleamide from oleic acid and urea is obtained to be oleic acid / urea molar ratio of ۱:۴, temperature of ۲۰۰ ℃ and time reaction of ۱۸۰ min with ۱ wt% catalyst concentration. At this condition the acid value of ۵۶ was achieved. Also, the reaction mechanism and kinetic were investigated in which ammonolysis followed pseudo-first order kinetics.

oleamide, slip agent, oleic acid, urea, kinetic