The demand for bio-based as well as eco-friendly products is increasing because of the rising awareness of people on the environment. Cashew nut shell liquid appeals to businesses focusing on reducing their carbon footprint and ecological impact, as it is an environmentally beneficial and renewable resource.
The usage of this element is also likely to be increased by government guidelines that promote the utilization of natural resources and eco-friendly substances. A climate that is advantageous for the cashew nut shell liquid sector can be formed by offering subsidies and incentives, along with employing guidelines that promote the utilization of bio-based products
Understanding Cashew Nut Shell Liquid
Oil field chemicals formed from different renewable sources like plant extracts have been known as a substitute with more environmental benefits, accessibility, and cost-beneficial than their synthetic counterparts.
Cashew nutshell liquid, a derivative of the cashew sector, is an exclusive renewable starting material among others because of its peculiar structural feature, accessibility, and low cost. It comprises naturally occurring substituted phenolic mixtures that can contribute to different reactions for the production of many beneficial products.
Numerous chemicals as well as products have been produced starting from cashew nut shell liquid by taking benefit of the reactive sites such as aromatic ring, phenolic hydroxyl, and unsaturation(s) in the C15 alkyl side chain, and the acid functionality.
Applications of Cashew Nut Shell Liquid
Some major applications of cashew nut shell liquid include:
As Corrosion Inhibitors
Cashew nutshell liquid is extensively used in an electrochemical cell process because it lessens the level of the electrochemical corrosion procedures that occur on a carbon steel surface.
This capacity of inhibition is exceptional for both dynamic and static conditions, this antioxidative effect or inhibition capacity of cashew nut shell liquid is because of its electron-donating nature (because of the electron-rich aromatic ring and free lone pairs of electrons on the oxygen atoms), as well as the steric outcome of the substituents (weighty substitutes at the aromatic ring para, meta, and ortho positions).
As Fuel
Cashew nutshell oil has also found high strength in fuel mixtures and blends, as well as in the creation of diesel oil. The cracking of cashew nut shell liquid with a molecular sieve at a temperature of 500°C for 2 hours produces brown-colored liquid that can be utilized as diesel fuel. The thickness of cashew nut shell liquid is between 30 to 35 times thicker as compared to diesel. This led to a dissimilarity in applications as well as properties of different blends.
As Surfactant
Cashew nut shell liquids are utilized as foaming & wetting agents, detergents, demulsifiers, and dispersants or emulsifiers. This is because of their capability to reduce the surface pressure of a liquid, between a solid and a liquid, or between two liquids.
In Closing
With the surging requirement for bio-based and environmentally friendly products, the total value of the cashew nutshell liquid industry is likely to reach a value of USD 740.6 million by the end of this decade.
