Distillation and chemical characterization of crude wood rosin

Crude wood rosin is a very important naval stores and used in many sectors such as chemical, paint, paper, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and rubber and rubber industries. All over the world, restrictions on the consumption of synthetic resins lead the sector to biodegradable products. Although synthetic resins are physically similar to bio-based rosins, they do not capture the chemical content of the natural rosin and cannot be completely substituted. In addition; synthetic resins threaten both human health and nature. Developed countries that have understood the critical importance of natural rosin and use crude wood rosin in the domestic and international markets by converting the crude wood resin into an industrial value-added resin derivative, and gain significant profits from it. Although Turkey is ranked first in the world with the appropriate Turkish red pine forests to produce crude wood rosin, nowadays commercial crude wood rosin production is not in desired quantities. In addition, bio-based wood rosin derivatives are not produced in our country and are fully covered by imports. In this thesis, turpentine and rosin were obtained from crude wood rosin by applying four different distillation processes. Turpentine and rosin phases were measured after all distillation types. The most turpentine amount was obtained as 25.29% by vacuum distillation under water vapor. Volatile components in turpentine phase were characterized by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Mass Spectroscopy (MS) device. The active substance of turpentine was determinated as α-Pinene and the highest amount of α-Pinene was found as 84.07% by vacuum distillation under water vapor. The five most important volatile components in turpentine were found as α-Pinene, Camphene, β-Pinene, α-Terpinolene and α-Terpinene. Acid number, saponification number, alcohol insoluble residue, ash amount, color axis and softening point were determinated in colophony samples. As a result of the analysis; the acid number was found between 169.11 and 174.53; the saponification number was found between 174.14 and 180.83, alcohol insoluble residue was found between 0.03% and 0.04%. Ash content was found between 0.026% and 0.031%. The color of the colophony samples was determinated between brown and amber. As a result of DSC analysis, the highest softening point was determinated as 74.58 ° C in vacuum distillation under water vapor. GC-MS analysis was performed to determine the resin acids in rosin. It has been determinated that the sum of Abietic acid and its derivatives (Dehydroabietic acid and Neoabietic acid) is approximately 50%. The five most common resin acids were found as Abetic acid and its derivatives, Palustric acid, Podocapric acid, Pimaric acid and Levopimaric acid. In scope of feasibility analysis; Rate of Return Analysis, Present Value Analysis and Breakeven Analysis were performed on the distillation of crude wood rosin. As a result of the feasibility analysis, vacuum distillation method under water vapor was considered to be the most feasible option.